The Empyrean Will
by Fatti-chan
Summary: Light spun from darkness. The goddess rose, powerless; her veins bleeding black and echoing her death. She struggled. One foot in front of the other and left behind a seam of light. She reaped. Those who wronged her. Those who betrayed her... Beware.
1. A Journey of a Thousand Steps

**A Journey of a Thousand Steps **

Drowning.

Drowning in an inkwell of black

Cosmos opened her eyes, she lay in the void. The only light came from her body, igniting her surroundings in a barely perceptible glow. The void sapped her, malicious intent preyed on her mind and she closed her eyes, struggling to keep the voices at bay. Fragmented memories burned beneath her eyelids and she concentrated whilst the void pulsed, struggling to snuff her light.

An army...a war?

The sky tore apart, beneath; she gripped her staff and prayed for her warriors to triumph. The brave held shining crystals and forged ahead. Alone, she fettered evil, but it broke the chains and lunged at her.

Tearing the sky, the world, ripping the fabric of reality.

Ripping through _her_.

And she ended in this smothering world of black.

Resting here would not do.

Summoning all of her strength, Cosmos hauled to her bare feet and wobbled, she landed on her hands and knees and the void whirled around her.

Eyes hardening, she tried again.

And again. Till she stood upright, soles planted firmly on the ground and filtering the negative energy into her life source. Her feet burned and smoked, around her, shapeless voices laughed, taunting her to give up and return to the great unknown. Tightening her will on the slipping reins of her sanity, Cosmos' eyes burned. Her hair flared, lusterless. The void throbbed maliciously, amassing every means to expel this blot of light. Breathing deeply, Cosmos extended her arms and the veins running under her pale skin, tinted black.

She fought a losing battle.

The crystals, she suddenly remembered. But who did she give them to? Her warriors? Faces eluded her and try as she might, her noble warriors melted into a fathomless being.

Limbs weary, she put one foot in front of the other and forks of light skittered away from where her heel touched the void. Like frightened insects. Head held high and purpose scorching in pale blue irises; she walked, leaving a trail of ivory pearls in her wake. The void cracked along this seam and the angry murmurs started again.

Goddess of Death. Of light. Bane to darkness.

The mumbling swelled in energy and power; the seam tried to repair itself but shied away from the light. Panting heavily, Cosmos journeyed deeper into the void's heart. A destination mocked her and she poured all of her merge energy into achieving it; one foot in front of the other. Heels smoking, her dress tore itself into tatters and one wrong step later, she stumbled and fell on all fours again.

"_You are a sight for sore eyes._"

A rough, yet warm voice echoed from all sides and straightening to a more dignified position, Cosmos searched.

"_What?_"

The tone seemed almost mocking.

"_You cannot see me? And you call yourself a goddess?_"

"Who are you?" Cosmos demanded but no words came out of her mouth. Her hand jerked to her throat and she found it bare.

"...You lost your speech."

The jeering continued and to her right, a ball of shadows detached from the endless wall. Eyes narrowing, the goddess switched strides and marched towards the levitating sphere. It unfolded into a jacket darker than black and a hood covered the individual's face. "I am wounded." A moogle uncovered its face and opened slit eyes to reveal pupils of burnished gold. A dagger flew from the folds in his cloak and clipped Cosmos on her cheek. "Tch, your weakness is appalling!" The moogle thundered and motioned for its dagger. The bronze hilted weapon lifted and whizzed back to its wielder. "How did you end up like this?"

"The war..." A faint whisper detached from her lips. "I remember you." The goddess smiled and a spider web of light cracked the floor. "But why? And in this form?" she asked, words barely producing any sound.

Snorting, the moogle crossed stubby forearms over a tiny chest. "Hmph, of all the meeting places..." he scathed and venomously eyed the void. "As for why, that is none of your concern, I go by the name of Hwit now." Head ornament quivering, Hwit studied the goddess as she attempted to see through his lies. No matter, he turned; she will not be able to decipher him. "Get us out of here, my fur is prickling." He pointed to himself.

How?

Disgust swirled in Hwit's golden eyes but he floated and pressed a warm paw over Cosmos' freezing eyelids. "Sleep," he lulled, "and _dream_."

The goddess crumpled to her knees and swayed sideways, a tear curved from beneath her tightly shut eyelids and she collided with the marble, inky floor. Cosmos' head split open from the crown, blood trickled, forming a puddle and from the silver ichor, a sapling with leaves mapped by galaxies, sprouted. The sapling grew, sucking the void and filtering to light and it swelled in size, leaves dripping stars.

Unimpressed, Hwit floated around the inert goddess, having nothing better to do, he plopped himself in Cosmos' outstretched palm and waited.

For time to begin.

In a barren field pockmarked with craters of smoking lava, a bronze dragon reclined in a throne. The black metal constantly warped in the heat but was freezing cold to touch. Two moons orbited each other and no sun ever showed its face in the desolate inter-world. Here, the void end and began. Fissures ran deep across the landscape, echoing with the souls of the tormented. Rising from the throne of ebony iron forged from the blood of countless undead, the dragon, scales rippling under yellow moonlight, soared across the fields. The time has come for him to take over. Light lost the struggle and its balancer lay, in the depths of an all-consuming glade. A semblance of a smile pulled reptilian lips back, exposing glinting fangs stained by greed. The dragon dove to the ground, talons burrowing through the rock hard, reddish soil and pulling out a giant blade, dangling at the end, a helmet wearing warrior clung for dear life.

Garland may have lost the use of his legs, but his upper body proved more than a match for weak willed warriors. Dangling from the talons of a great dragon, he squinted at the creature and decided it was not worth killing. Grabbing his monolith of a sword with both hands, he tugged furiously. He wanted to rest. An eternity of fighting against his opponent sapped the life out of him. However, the dragon did not intend to let go and wicked talons carried him to a throne perched on a small mountain. Immediately, his stomach squirmed and the dragon let go. Garland's unfeeling legs registered heat, he sank in a pool of lava and the heat instantly vaporized his skin, working through his muscles and eventually reaching bone. The pain muddled him, he tried to take a good look at the dragon however the fluid in his eyeballs evaporated and the world tinted into dreary shades of grey.

* * *

Approximately one week later, Sephiroth gained consciousness. Did the Planet want him back? Highly unlikely, he decided and moved his arms. They refused his command. Calmly, he raised his head but instead of seeing torso and legs, his eyes remained pinned to a pewter grey sky.

Where was this?

Determined, he flexed his fingers and groped for Masamune. Only the crystal gurney's freezing surface met his fingertips. A groan sounded from his left, followed by a crash of breaking glass.

What?

* * *

Wrapping muscular arms around his broad, black blade, Jecht struggled to his feet and swung at the fetters snaking around his legs. The luminous crystal shattered easily enough and reformed at lightning speeds. Curses degrading into incensed groans, he hacked and the blade cut deep into his calf, striking bone. Swallowing a hiss, he raised the sword again and brought it down, spearing it through his foot. Alongside him, strangers either lay on tables, or sat in a lattice of crystal, murmuring half consciously. The environment around him resembled nothing of the delicious dreamlife he heard about. Pausing in his senseless hacking, he twisted and the blade flew out of his hands, somersaulting through the air and stopping short from cleaving a giant dragon's face. All the occupants around him stirred but two individuals lay completely immobilized in their beds.

"What the heck is this?" Jecht roared and lunged. "You!" he thundered and kicked himself free, leaping for the bronze dragon looming over all of them. "You were supposed to be dead, we kill-" Sputtering, he stumbled a few steps and smashed face down on the ground, mouth tasting the coppery soil.

Or the blood trailing from his nose.

* * *

Shinryu surveyed his chosen warriors though slit pupils. Humans, monsters, halflings...he did not care.

They shall all serve in his grand plan to reunite the worlds as one. The birth of a new world will only precede complete annihilation of the old one.

"Stand," he commanded and the assembled warriors of Darkness maneuvered to upright positions. Most of them wore looks of abject horror. Mouth open, eyes bulging and flickering in disbelief. The spirited ones cursed and the wind tore their hollow words away. "All of you were called for a purpose," Shinryu rose to his wings and overshadowed them, "and once again you heeded my call." The puny individuals before him exchanged helpless glances with each other. "This time, you obeyed my command against your will." A ripple ran through the small crowd. Defeat. Defiance. "You are my chosen ones and you shall rise again to carry out my wishes. This time," Shinryu's voice penetrated through the rocks, soil, through the clouds and struck like thunder, "you will all contribute to the destruction of your worlds and build me a new one."

Faces twisted. Sephiroth snorted contemptuously and turned to leave.

But he could not.

His head tilted towards the dragon soaring higher into the sky. His arms fastened on either side of him and when Shinryu allowed them to move, only then did his body succumb and jerk around, facing a small army of Manikins.

"I expect great work from all of you," the dragon whispered and Garland squeezed his eyes shut. Fight? No, he could not do this anymore. He was a warrior, he respected when battles ended. He adhered to boundaries and the mere thought of clashing swords with _him_, stirred his stomach unpleasantly. Shinryu took to the skies, great, webbed wings casting a shadow on the assembled party and their underlings. Gripping his blade tightly, the helmeted warrior stared at the two moons circling each other. Pale yellow and crimson danced with each other. A never ending war. In the fields of Cornelia, amongst the remnants of a castle, he breathed his last and his opponent, knelt before him, helm removed to convey respect. War with someone like that? Preposterous, Garland shouted and with great difficulty, rotated to face the throne perched on the hill. Shouldering his flat blade, he moved towards the distant destination, a plan unfolding in his mind.

The warrior stopped short, pivoted on his heel and marched back to his transient army. He raised his sword to the blood-orange stars.

"The war starts again!" Garland boomed, struggling with his wayward thoughts and the unwilling orders spilling from his mouth. "This time, we, the warriors of Darkness will not lose." He swallowed painfully. "This time," his voice rose, "we shall triumph. Darkness conquers all!"

Roots tangled with Cosmos' shock of golden hair. The sapling, now a sturdy tree with an intertwining trunk, rained leaves of light over the unconscious goddess' body and shrouded her. She stirred briefly, her fingers and toes twitching and the tops of the tree spread across the void, blooming color to anything it touched. The darkness frothed but edged away from the blinding whiteness. Retreating, the shapeless forms resorted to watching from a safe distance and muttered with each other. The tree bore fruit, huge, spherical masses resembling planets.

Fifteen such orbs hung from its crisscrossing branches and Cosmos' eyelids fluttered open. Golden tears created a tributary down her face and congealed near her barely visible throat. A necklace choked her and she uttered a dainty cough. The goddess struggled to sit upright, tearing her hair and splitting thick roots. A pure white jacket, trimmed in gold, replaced her dress and extended towards her ankles.

She held her palms out and a star fell, spinning, spinning and elongating to her preferred weapon.

A scythe.

"I bestow on thee, the name of Cierr Harmonia," Cosmos spoke, her voice a life giving stream gurgling in an arid canyon. "Eternal peace." She rose to her feet, steady and strong. "The void told me its secrets. Dark thoughts stir in its depths." At this, Hwit rolled his eyes, he did not need a dreamlike premonition to tell him something was terribly wrong, having Cosmos ousted out of power provided plenty evidence. "Will you accompany me Hwit?" She asked and turned, flowers bloomed at her feet and he vanished. "...I suppose not." Cosmos dully concluded and stately walked towards the single door cut into the Tree of Light. She grabbed the door knob and opened it.

A cloudless sky greeted her and she stepped onto a carpet of windswept grass. Flowers bowed in the wind. Not a human roamed the area. A stone building, ruined by neglect, stood on a path overgrown by weeds. Whitewash long rubbed off, a lighthouse winked in the distance and uncertainly Cosmos let the door shut behind her. The corridor to the void melted into nothingness and she stood, melancholic at the storm scarred ruins.

The goddess smiled, optimistic, she weaved her way through brambles and bushes and through a broken corridor framed by iconic columns wreathed with ivy. Sun drenched stone warmed her bare soles and she absorbed the untamed nature crushing man-made structures. A cluster of buildings faced a main hall constructed of white stone and wooden doors, long torn off brass hinges and devoured by termites, gave way to dilapidated interiors. Serving the smaller houses a passing glance, Cosmos strode to the central building, standing despite its scars. The building's frieze depicted figures, adults hugging children. Humans offering each other water, shelter, a place to call home. Eyes tearing from the top, she entered a shadowed terrace protected by a column of cracked pillars. Doors long gone, the hall interior reflected wooden chests, planks rotted. Stone stairs led to corridors left open to the elements and the dust covered ground muted her steps. Cosmos frowned and picked a golden candelabrum. She squeezed it, crafted it into an armlet and slipped the piece of jewelry on. Taking a last look at the corroded stones, she slowly made her way out.

Outside, a woman draped with a wine red gown and hands mutated into beast claws, waited for Cosmos. The two faced each other and the sorceress' lips pulled into a nasty grin. "I have been told," Ultimecia began, "of a disturbance near Edea's Orphanage." The sorceress lunged and Cosmos' eyes grew wide, she raised her scythe to parry. "Who would have thought that disturbance was you?"

* * *

**A/N**: Hey everyone, I'm back with another story. As previously mentioned, this story is a request and I did my best. Nonetheless, constructive criticism and advice are always welcome.

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Final Fantasy or Dissidia, I don't even like most of the battle systems they use in FF but kudos to their intricate story lines and awesome characters. (Kefka comes to mind - okay I'm joking)

This story is written for **Bighead 98** who is the co-plotter and co-editor. Thank your for sorting through my mess and making a story out of it.


	2. Time marches on

**Time marches on**

_Thwack!_

A sharp blow to the thigh forced Ultimecia to twist. Her claws missed Cosmos's throat by a mile and she pivoted, raising her foot and smashing it in the abdomen.

The goddess flew, crashing into the orphanage hall frieze and teleported, swinging her scythe. The curved blade whistled through the air, through the time sorceress and when Cosmos blinked, only a faint after image of Ultimecia's sneer, shimmered in front of her.

The time witch escaped.

Shoulder blades aching from where she ploughed into the hall, Cosmos turned, chunks of alabaster littered the shadowed terrace and she gripped her weapon, exhausted from the brief encounter. The crystals, she needed to find the warrior she bestowed it to. Clasping her hands on her chest, the goddess rifled through the memories, trying to piece herself together...

...And came up with a blank. Sighing, she stepped on the sun soaked steps and walked through the field of coarse grass. Ultimecia came here for a purpose, to steal her Crystal? Cosmos wondered anxiously.

Bare feet touched sand and as if emerging from a dream, the goddess turned to the vast sea. More land lay beyond the barrier of white foamed waves and she strolled along the beach, towards the lonely lighthouse perched on a cliff overlooking the sea. Years ago, this area teemed with life; she felt the energies left behind by orphaned children.

Their hopes and dreams.

Laughter and smiles.

And their resentment and anger.

The ocean waves lapped against her feet, soaking her jacket's hem.

Raising her hood, Cosmos covered her face and a circle of light flowered beneath her feet.

* * *

Fishing vessels returned to the coast of Balamb. On deck, the fishermen shouted happily, waving their arms and screaming about a good haul. The dock workers scurried about, unloading the cargo vessels and bringing in ships, if the fleet of fishing boats came in, all activity will halt in favor of unloading the rare delicacy, the Balamb Fish. The vessels bobbed closer and shouts rend the air. Cargo and passenger ships were immediately dispatched. Carting off the huge containers lining the pier, the dockhands created space for crates to unload the fish. The boats arrived, salt scoured ropes flew from overboard and the workers grabbed them, securing the boats to the pier. The unloading began. First the fishermen tossed the nets, covered in scales, knots and darkened with dirt. Then the fish were thrown into tubs. The water tinted pink, sloshed over the sides and covered the pavement. By the time noon rolled around, the port stank of fish, sweat and merchants swarmed the harbor, haggling for the best prices.

Amidst the crowds of well-dressed men rubbing shoulders with sailors covered in the morning's fish guts, a woman materialized.

The crowd took no notice of her; too busy staking a claim to the catch of Balamb Fish. Many rubbed their hands in anticipation.

A pair of eyes watched the robed figure weave from thin air. Clutching a doll, the girl looked left, right and back to the figure on all fours. A crowd of passing teenagers, decked in clean, crisp uniforms of the Garden, gave the crouching individual a customary glance and strode on. Another merchant, adjusting glasses, tripped over the huddle in the middle of the road and stopped, puffing angrily, he pointed a finger and Cosmos rose.

The words abruptly evaporated in his mouth and he plastered a cloying smile on his mustached face. However, before he managed to lay his charms on this obviously distressed lady, she squinted in the direction of...the man turned, fiddling with his eyeglasses. Balamb Garden?

Brushing his frock coat self-importantly, he cleared his throat to gain her attention and she looked at him. "May you please guide me to the institution over there?" Cosmos asked and pointed a slender finger to the halo of magic characterizing the Garden. "I am searching for a Warrior of high repute who has the power of the Goddess' Crystals..." She broke off when the ruddy faced man backtracked and sped off, coat tails flapping in the wind. Blinking owlishly, she sought for another person to aid her in the quest but most people were preoccupied with themselves; shopkeepers lining the market place screeched for customers and they flocked, shoving each other out of the way. Bewildered, Cosmos approached a woman and repeated her earlier request; the lady laughed, touched her fashionable curls and disappeared, giggling with a bevy of girls.

Striding to a fruit stall, the goddess hungrily eyed the fruits on display and picked an apple. The green skin, waxed to perfection, teased her and weighing the apple in her palm, she held it out. "I require this for sustenance…" Cosmos trailed, horrified at the concept of sustenance. Did the mortals feel this wretched every time they required food? As she turned to walk away, the stall owner yelled at her.

"Cough up the Gil, woman!"

"Gil?" She asked. "Money?" Cosmos patted her pocket-less jacket. "I do not have money." The man's weather beaten face contorted furiously and she hastily placated him, bringing her palms together in prayer. "But I pray you be prosperous in your endeavors-"

"POLICE!"

The shop keeper stood and yelled loudly, the sound pulsed in Cosmos' ears. The deafening call aroused the interest of passersby and they curiously circled the shabby fruit stall.

Bleeding into view amidst the chaos, Hwit stabbed the apple with his dagger and flung it, nailing the hysterical shopkeeper in the nose. Taking advantage of the confusion, Cosmos slipped from the crowd and peeled into a side street, bewildered by the people's behavior. She only wanted an apple! Did the men of this century not possess benevolent hearts?

The moogle, weaving through the throngs of people, vanished and phased into view till he guided Cosmos to the edge of Balamb Town. Sitting underneath the sprawling shade of a flowering tree, the goddess stared at her trembling hands.

"The next time you want something," Hwit snarled, pitch black wings vibrating, "you _take_ it without asking."

Raising her head, the goddess' eyes flashed. "I will not! That is considered stealing. The people may not have good faith but I shall not resort to their crude behavior. I shall set an example." Wisps of her untamed hair spilled from beneath the gold accented hood and she pushed them back.

The moogle eyed her, unfathomable expressions swirling in burnished gold irises. "Learn to adapt," he commanded, "it will serve you well." Wings flapping frenziedly, Hwit shot off to the great unknown, head bauble shaking erratically.

Bringing a hand to her mouth, Cosmos laughed, to think...a great entity such as him was reduced to a moogle. Her chuckles abated when the full reality of her circumstances dawned on her.

Under the harsh, noonday sun, she reclined in the shade of a tree, growing weaker with each passing second. Hauling to her feet, she ambled slowly, marveling at the dome shaped houses lining the streets. Here and there, Cosmos caught a glimpse inside through round, glass windows. Some of the homes spoke of luxury and comfort, decorated by wall hangings and lace curtains. Others, outer walls cracked, showed age and poverty. Walking towards one, where a wrought iron lamp threatened to fall from its crumbling base, Cosmos touched a finger and smoothed the cracks. Several people stopped to stare at her and resume their daily activities, shrugging shoulders. Deed done, she focused on the magical halo of Balamb Garden and traced a path to the institution.

A pair of high rise gates denied access to the humongous compound. Eyes widening in surprise, Cosmos tried to peer through the bars, but a suspicious gate keeper regarded her irately. Letting her hood down, she approached the official who suddenly, developed an interest in her. Smiling benevolently, she inquired for a certain warrior possessing a Goddess Crystal and like her previous encounter, the man grew sullen, scowled and shook his head, telling her they did not have any Crystal warriors. Not one to give up, the goddess urged him to at least take a look, but the apathetic man sauntered back to a fancy guardhouse and disappeared.

"Oh right!" he shouted through a window. "We have Squall, but I wouldn't call him a warrior." The guard laughed at his joke and Cosmos' features scrunched delicately, she failed to see anything funny. "In any case, he's getting crazier in his head. Says stuff like he's losing track of time or something."

Cosmos straightened, this was the warrior she searched for. "Could you please summon him? I would like to speak with this Squall."

"No can do. To get to Squall you need a permit from a higher up." The guard retreated in the safety of his office. Alone, the she gripped the bars, concrete burned her feet.

A chorus of shouts and laughter erupted from the institution. Young soldiers marched across the grounds, military training dictating their posture. Others slaved over books, memorizing theories and magical chants for summoning. Too tired to break the layers of invisible magic slathering the school, Cosmos let go of the gates, her palms smoking. Rubbing the raw skin, she covered her face and melted with the many residents milling in the town.

* * *

Rubbing his tired eyes, Squall Leonhart got up from bed and dragged himself to the full length mirror.

A shock of unkempt hair fell over his forehead and smoothing them listlessly, he reached for his clothes. Blinds, drawn tightly across the windows, did not allow any light to fall in the palatial room and he secured a myriad of silver buckles on his waist. Shoving the latest model gunblade in a holster, Squall shrugged a fur lined jacket on himself and stepped out the door. The corridor, lit by fluorescent lights, further burned his retinas and he climbed down a set of stairs, pausing to adjust the stack of papers under his arm. Leather shoes echoed loudly in the empty hallways and stopping in front of a class, he kicked the door open.

An empty room, lined with desks, welcomed him. Stalking towards the lectern, he dumped his documents on the wood paneled surface, grabbed a marker and faced the blank board.

"It's night time sir." A young boy stepped into the empty room, an over-sized pajama hanging off scrawny shoulders. A magic circle formed on the board and Squall whipped around, the pentagon inside the circle became skew. "You must come back six hours later, school starts then. You are too early." Squall stared at the gigantic moon visible through the class' floor to ceiling windows, his eyebrows shot up. Placing the marker down, he dropped into a chair and crossed his legs, brooding. The boy, hanging by the door frame, cautiously inched inside and received a sharp eyed glare from the scarred man. "Ms Heartilly asked me to look after you," the student faltered. "I sleep walk each night and wake around this time and most week nights I see you here..."

Squall raised his face. "Scram," he responded finally, if bluntly. "You need your sleep and I need time to think."

The boy hung for a little while longer, absentmindedly arranging the chairs and desks, he hitched the oversized pajama on his too thin shoulders and the action irritated Squall for no reason. The child appeared lost, like that time when...when...

He drifted on the currents of time, surrounded by faceless portraits. Dropping his face into gloved palms, Leon hunched, fingernails digging into his cheeks. If at that time, Rinoa did not rescue him.

If at that time she did not.

The end of the world. Time compressed into a single entity. He fought furiously, surrounded by bodies of the fallen as the wretched sorceress absorbed them as her own.

A pair of warm hands touched his shoulders and he eased. "It's morning Squall." Rinoa's energetic voice prompted him to squint at her and at the blinding sun peeking through clouds. "MORNING," she repeated with a wide smile on her face and already, he felt tired.

Shrugging, he got up from the chair and indicated for the rows of students to enter. The boys and girls filed inside obediently and at once, he caught sight of the sleep walking child, rubbing at a pair of shadows underneath his eyes. Squall opened his mouth to say something, thought the better of it and turned to the board.

The lesson started with basic combat and summoning and the day wore on.

Marching tirelessly.

* * *

Rising upright beneath the leafy shade of an acacia, Cosmos opened her eyes to a pink cheeked girl holding out a bread roll.

Smiling and thanking her, the goddess nibbled on the roll, her entire body ached from the uncomfortable position she forced herself into. Yesterday evening, she returned from Balamb Garden and strolled through the seaside town. The commotion at the port, died when evening hit and exhausted fishermen trailed back home, salt scoured faces wrinkling in proud smiles. Aimlessly wandering, Cosmos weaved through small side streets and unfrequented alleys. Night fell and she worried.

Her feet guided her to a modest; three story building standing on a raised patch of land, overlooking the sea. A creaking wooden sign identified it as the Inn and orange light spilled from windows. Smoothing her jacket, she hesitated at the door, the fruit stall encounter fresh on her mind. As if reminding her about the importance of money, a small black board listed the amount of Gil needed to stay at the particular suites. Bright blue eyes roaming over the amounts, she quickly spun on her heel and strode away, back to the lamp lit streets of Balamb Town.

She walked till her sight grew dizzy. By now, very few people roamed the streets. The smell of fried fish and marinated spices coming from the open air food stalls, long evaporated on the balmy night and staggering, Cosmos sat on a low stone wall, leaning against the trunk of a tree.

Some of the individuals cloaked by the night stopped to stare at the woman in white sleeping against the tree. Others hungrily eyed the glint of a golden necklace, visible beneath her raised jacket collar. But the moment they approached the sleeping woman, they all stopped.

A tiny furred creature, a moogle, glared angrily at them and brandished a dagger. Those who smirked at the monster they considered useless, met a violent end.

Erased from reality.

* * *

The bread roll finished and Cosmos forlornly stared at her empty hands. Clouds rushed from the west, ushered in by a stiff sea breeze. Facing the sky, she fixated on the flaring halo above Balamb Garden and set off, this time, determined to find out about the warrior named Leonhart Squall. She repeated the name under her breath, coaxing a face from the lacuna of her mind.

A man with white hair?

Wielding a sword and shield?

No.

He was...someone else. Another warrior.

Another person who held a part of her power.

Someone clutched her jacket and Cosmos stopped.

"Here you go."

The young girl thrust a woven basket in the goddess' hands. "I saw you at the harbor yesterday," the ruddy faced child exclaimed, eyes twinkling. "You came out of nowhere!" Cosmos peeked into the basket, eyes widening at the assortment of rolls, pastries and little things with cream. "And you shouldn't walk around with no money." The child, caramel pigtails bouncing, thrust a purse of Gil at Cosmos. "Now you are all set!"

Holding the basket tightly Cosmos knelt on the ground and clasped the girl's hands in her own.

The child flushed and smiled purely. "I pray for all your endeavors to succeed." The goddess brushed a strand of hair behind the girl's ear. "May you always be kind and benevolent and may fate look upon you kindly." Cosmos let go and watched the child skip away happily, pausing once to wave at her. Hooking the basket through her arm, the goddess rose to her feet and with burning resolve, peeled through the streets and to the imposing institution.

At the gates, the previous guard eyed her basket warily, however, this time she took no notice of him and strode around the school's perimeter. It spanned a colossal amount of land on all sides and when the brick wall curved and shaded her from prying eyes. Cosmos put her hand against it and flinched. Anti-magic barriers. The grassy ground too, a minefield of magic circles waited to spring on an unexpected intruder.

Testing the ground, she traversed for another mile, stopping to touch the fragrant wildflowers blooming alongside weeds. Pressing her palms together, she parted them and Cierr Harmonia rested in her a hands. Placing the weapon's butt parallel to the brick gate defaced by squiggly lines, and Cosmos blinked disapprovingly, a slew of unsavory words; she pushed. Lines snaked from the point of impact, bleeding into the cracks and toppling bricks.

One, two, ten. A sizable arch, perfect for her tall and slim figure to fit through, cleared and she covered her mouth from the dust. Pressing her heel against a devastating magic trap at the threshold of her newly created entrance, Cosmos disabled it and ducked.

A claw seized her necklace. "Wait," Hwit commanded and the woman gasped for air. Reminding himself he dealt with a barely capable goddess, the moogle, flew through the hole and stopped short. "Lasers." he opened his eyes and stared at the towering buildings making up the Garden. "Cameras..."

"Lasers?" Cosmos asked confusedly. "Cameras? I suppose they are not magic traps." She squeezed herself into the arch, next to Hwit and tried to see the things he did. "They must be the products of modern technology," she sagely concluded and the moogle nodded off-handedly. "Then..." she stepped forward whilst Hwit angrily sputtered next to her. "Fear shall not chain me here." Cosmos phased harmlessly through the net of invisible lasers crisscrossing the outer perimeter of Balamb Garden. "I know the warrior is inside here, and I must meet him."

Hooding her face and with the scythe by her side, she intruded upon the grounds and the moogle hovered in the air, contemplative before shutting his eyes and de-materializing.

The thirty two students obediently sitting in polished desks behind him, collectively jumped when the klaxon blared.

Looking up from the magic tome he currently recited from, Squall rubbed his temples when the sound penetrated his skull. Ordering the students not to move a muscle- like they could, when they all tensed like mice in front of cats- he stalked out of the classroom and met up with a breathless Rinoa.

"There is a breach from the eastern gate, near where the old wall is built into the new," she informed him. "The students..." she muttered. More teachers poured out of the classrooms and Squall spied Seifer's blonde head coursing for the exit. "Squall, we need to evacuate everyone, the threat is a high level, single entity."

His blood crawled to a stop.

'Evacuate everyone?' He thought. 'What happened to the pride of the SeeDs?'

Sighing heavily, he shouldered his gunblade and tailed after Seifer.

"Where are you going?" Rinoa called after him and he twitched at the concern lacing her voice.

"To deal with the intruder." Squall silently replied.

* * *

**E/N: **Cierr Harmonia = Timeless Harmony

The coat Cosmos is wearing is exactly the same coat Organization XIII wears from the Kingdom Hearts series, but with inverted colors; you know, white and gold instead of black and silver.

**A/N:** I like writing Squall, he's just so...Whatever.

Anyways people, read and review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	3. Fallen

**Fallen**

A lob of magic disintegrated the area beneath her feet and Cosmos jumped when a second sphere followed the first. The orb changed direction and she swung, cutting through it; the two halves sailed past her and created smoking craters on the ground. Twirling the weapon she aimed for the man's legs but he blocked the blow and flicked his blade upwards, barely missing the goddess' skin. A barrage of magical bullets followed his assault and they crashed against a multilayered barrier. Frustrated, Seifer grasped his gunblade, discharged a shot and waited for the intruder to fall.

The large bullet pierced through her shield and stopped short of tearing through her heart. Wary, he jumped back, she was no ordinary opponent. Picking the bullet between a slender thumb and index finger, she squeezed and the bullet smashed. A small, flat disc of metal. Inhaling sharply, Seifer raised his guard.

_Who_ was this woman?

"Now that I have your attention," Cosmos lowered to the grass carpeted ground but kept a firm grip on Cierr Harmonia, "please take me to Leonhart Squall." The blonde man tensed, was Squall in league with this intruder? "He is a warrior in possession of my Crystal and I need it." The goddess placed a hand on her chest and her hood slipped off. "There are sinister stirrings in all the worlds, the dead..." she gathered her words, her mind suddenly flashing to the encounter with the time sorceress. "...are coming back to life. Ultimecia has returned."

The grip on his gunblade loosened and Seifer threw his head back and laughed.

"I doubt that witch will return, Squall buried her in antiquity." He shook his head at the absurdity falling from the stranger's lips. "You can't reach Squall," he solemnly declared and pointed the barrel end of his weapon at the woman. "A permit is needed to reach him, the only person who could help you would be Rinoa...but she is preoccupied."

He lunged, hoping to catch his target off guard but she whirled her scythe, the staff end caught under his chin and flipped him over. Somersaulting, he landed face down on the ground, mouth filled with soil and grassroots. Springing up, he aimed at her and froze when she flashed in front of him and covered his gunblade's mouth with a pale hand.

"I do not wish to fight," the goddess stated and the gunblade melted at her touch. Burning metal filled his nostrils. "I need to see Leonhart Squall." Cosmos breathed heavily and sweat plastered hair on her forehead. "It is important that I have my crystal back, we do not have time."

The trees around them shimmered and aged too quickly. A shrub rooted meters away from Seifer's boots, lost all its leaves and shriveled.

A dead tree.

Simply impossible.

Detangling himself from Cosmos, he aimed at her again and she regarded him with calm, blue eyes. No fear distorted her face and she carried herself with a regal aura.

Aim faltering, he lowered his gunblade just as a second shot rang out in the clearing. The goddess twisted, hair whipping and a bullet tore through the air. It speeded towards her right eye, centimeters from gouging through. Cosmos twirled her weapon and the projectile clanged off her the scythe. Landing with a heavy thump of his boots, Squall stared at her. She manipulated time. Slowing it down the moment he pressed the trigger. By all means the bullet should have blinded her and yet.

It was afternoon, the heat weighed heavily on his fur lined, leather jacket and he appraised Cosmos.

"Are you Leonhart Squall?" Cosmos asked and Leon dismissively jerked his head towards Seifer, the blonde man left, irises suspiciously lingering on the two of them.

"Cosmos," he drawled, feeling the memories associated with that name coming into the forefront of his mind's eye. "Your presence seems...different, almost invisible." He raised his gunblade. "Is it really you?"

In the ruins of a cathedral long stripped of glory, an individual kicked masonry with bare, beast clawed feet. The continent reminded her of herself: stripped of everything useful and cast aside without second thought.

Sunlight shone through high casement windows, illuminating the neglect. Rusted braziers held no flames. Monsters tore frescos and devoured paintings. Windowsills crumbled, chunks of stone hitting the ground in an unnaturally loud clatter. Dust swirled in sunbeams and lay thick on things untouched in centuries.

Emerging into an arid plain, Ultimecia regarded her new surroundings. Centra spoke to her personally, a land overrun with monsters falling from the moon. She pictured the historic moment, reveling in the fear and anguish the Lunar Cry must have caused. Eons ago, the fertile land, teeming with productive humans and an advanced civilization, fell prey to the Moon's cry. Towering cathedrals, domes carved from brilliant, white alabaster, caved under the beast meteorites raining from the heavens. Stone statues, erected to glorify the king, the royalty of Centra, missed an arm, a nose, a leg, cleaved in half when a beastling jumped and smashed it, much to the indignation of those watching. The aqueduct, a bridge of stones and carrier of water, burst and architects wept. It all happened in a single night.

Once in a blue moon.

Raising her hands, she wanted to invoke the same terror everywhere and crush the world along with its hopes and dreams. Her arms shook and she tried to find purpose in this senseless destruction. At one point, someone, a mortal, showed her the error of her ways. Time was free flowing, sacred; it cannot be tamed or compressed to a single entity's will.

She battled against the parasite in her mind, struggling to enforce HER will, but the wayward thoughts receded deeper into her cranium and magic circles bloomed in the air. Ultimecia recited the ancient rites for distorting time and the space around her warped.

The cathedral behind her pieced itself. Time reversed.

Grey blocks of stone patched the buildings, roads appeared beneath her feet. Monuments to gods and goddesses sprang up, side by side to homes and shops. The monsters roaming the wilderness of Centra vanished, de-aged into nonexistence. Above her, the moon glowed, full and cruel and although she recreated the continent in its days of glory, no people walked in the ghost city.

_Enough._

The trap has been laid.

Time spilled backwards, rewound to play again, with different results. Ultimecia searched though the annuls of history.

Now...where was that meddling goddess?

Cosmos was a happy goddess at the moment and wasn't hesitating to show it.

Clapping her hands in delight, she stood in front of what the humans termed as a camera. It captured her movements perfectly. Every turn, every movement of the eyes. It simply blew her mind!

Meanwhile, inside the same room and appearing entirely too bored, Squall stared out of the window; shoulders slumped and brain digesting the earlier conversation with the goddess.

He could not believe Ultimecia returned. After all the sacrifices he conducted to defeat the witch...and now she returned?

Shrugging, he got up, slowly paced the room's length and scowled each time the blonde woman twittered from one technological feat to the other. She examined the gunblade thoroughly, marveling at the marriage of magic and machinery. More often than not, Squall's internal quietude was violently punctured by Rinoa, who constantly walked in the room and held short conversations with Cosmos. To eternal his dismay, the two got along wonderfully and when the door banged open, he whirled around, scowling violently at the intruder.

"Lady Cosmos," Rinoa chirped energetically. "Would you like a tour of the Garden?" Her dark eyes, fringed with thick lashes shone expectantly and Cosmos relinquished the gunblade. She nodded. "Excellent!" Rinoa punched a fist in the air and Squall stalked to the corner of the room and slumped in a seat. "We can start with the first years, I'm sure you will leave a lasting impression on all those who meet you, it will be great for boosting morale." The brunette bustled out of the room and Cosmos trailed after her, she stopped at the threshold.

"The Crystal, Leonhart Squall," She spoke softly, firmly. "I need it to defeat the forces of destruction." Squall studied her from beneath his overgrown fringe.

In the battle between dark forces and light, in a sort of a world, he received a spiked, silver crystal from this very woman - this _goddess _in the flesh. It represented an embodiment of her power and his will. In the flat plains of sand and patches of grass studded with the remains of old stone buildings, he stood at a cross roads with others. Strange. Squall recalled bits and pieces; there, the goddess came to him, bounding full of power, glory, and light. The battle played between the two opposite forces maintained the balance of the world and other details of importance Squall could care less about but in that moment, the war represented ultimate duty to him. And so, three spindles of silver, joined by a common base, tumbled in his hand.

The crystal lay in his room... somewhere.

"Why can't we fight together?" he asked and Cosmos laid delicate fingers on the doorframe. "Presently you are weak," he pretended not to see the flinch marring her face. "You confessed it yourself, so I propose we join forces and..." The goddess turned, giving him undivided attention and the thread of the conversation faltered. "The SeeDs, it's what we train them for." He shrugged and lapsed back into a hunch.

"I appreciate your eagerness to help me however..." Cosmos stared past him, past the boundaries of Balamb Garden and to a point beyond the realms of mortal understanding. "It is my duty to do this alone. We all have a role to play in the grand order of things. You have fulfilled that role and I must do my part as well." She smiled and the dark room flooded with light. An impatient call reverberated down the corridor and Cosmos hurried after Rinoa. The door shut behind her and Squall got up, drawing the blinds.

He needed time to think.

* * *

The shiny floor underneath Cosmos' bare feet felt cold, curious children, some as young as ten years old, peeked at her, eyes sparkling. They maintained a respectful distance and the goddess sensed their curiosity, shining cleanly on innocent faces. The older students wore jaded looks; mistrust and anger masked by a happy facade. They bowed peacefully, but she sensed their inner turmoil, their struggle lain bare in troubled irises.

Rinoa, with her endless energy, guided her through the institution, pointing to areas of interest. The Garden was first built to accommodate orphans, to teach them survival skills and hopefully, create upstanding soldiers who could do good for their country. Some of the present lecturers gave Cosmos a wide berth and inclined their heads politely. The advancement of technology, which formerly pleased the goddess, now spun her mind. It seems, she touched a camera lens and it whirred, mankind is becoming more like machines.

A shout erupted in the classroom and a learner burst out of the door, clothes smoking. Another trailed the first student and the two laughed, taunting each other before disappearing through one of the numerous exits placed in the corridor. Cosmos followed them, stepping on soil. Most of the older students cast her a passing glance and resumed their lunching activities. Ankle length jacket flaring behind her, Cosmos appreciated the greenery amidst columns of steel and concrete. Life thrummed in the soil, plants pushed against her toes and she stopped and bent to pick a daisy struggling against a clump of weeds.

"If you are a goddess, why do you need help from us?" A trio of boys and girls, teenagers, formed a half ring around her. Straightening, Cosmos twirled the daisy between her fingers and presented it to the girl. "It makes no sense, what's the difference between you and me, if we need the same things to fight? If it is like this, then can I label myself as a goddess?" The girl asked, fire and confusion flashing in her face and Cosmos raised her eyes to the sky.

Blue.

She sensed a disturbance.

A disaster.

The turmoil of people reflected the turmoil of nature.

"But what is mankind without the gods?" Cosmos asked rhetorically, the girl in return and she stepped back, crushing the daisy in her palms. "If I give you all the answers, you will not think for yourself. Is this not what separates you from others?" She clasped the girl's clammy hands in her warm ones and smiled. "_You_ can think, the monsters and other animals cannot." Unhappy with the answer, the female and her entourage spun around, marching back to the safety of the Garden's buildings.

Watching them go, the goddess strode to the middle of the outdoor space and Cierr Harmonia flashed into her hands. A breathless Squall emerged from one of the buildings, gunblade holstered across his shoulders.

A monster rained from the sky and crashed a meter away from him, gouging a section of the Garden and sending SeeDs in training screaming and scampering for shelter. Balamb Garden's klaxon blared, the sound penetrating through thick walls and sheets of glass. The magic halo atop the school, which functioned for defense and offense, spun into life. The ring of fire spewed outwards, burning some of the monsters and raining flakes of soot across the school. Doubling back to where a purple creature smashed into the building, Squall jumped over a pile of fallen bricks and hauled the two legged monster upright.

A manikin. A mauve, slightly transparent version of Ultimecia stared at him with hollow, lifeless eyes. Letting go, he clutched the Crystal and vaulted over more debris. The students streamed to safety, guided by Rinoa's sure hand. Hesitant, Squall nodded to her and she flapped her hands at him.

_Go._

Cosmos soared past him and he ducked before her tangle of air whipped him in his face. She spun and landed on her knees before charging blade fist. Caught between the _real_ Ultimecia and the goddess, Squall sprang out of the way when the two clashed. Cierr Harmonia whistled, cutting through reality and discharging blades of blindingly white light. The crescents surged towards Ultimecia who simply reversed the time around them. Swerving around her, Cosmos teleported next to the time sorceress, her scythe teasing a line of blood over the witch's chest.

Catching the goddess by her hair, Ultimecia flung her and Squall froze.

Should he catch the somersaulting goddess, who despite everything, still managed to appear noble...or go after the emptily smirking sorceress? Ultimecia bled heavily and the blood spilled onto her abdomen, painting new tattoos next to her old ones.

"You." Ultimecia folded her arms. "Long time no see; did you ever think I would come back?" A surge of manikins erupted from behind her and Squall slashed through several and heads bobbed in the air.

A gunshot echoed in the middle, sending a crowd of them surging backwards. His limited view of Ultimecia was swallowed by her glowing manikins and cursing, he bowed under them.

"You are so weak." The time sorceress raised her hands, stopping a scythe with beast claws. "Is this it?" she drawled huskily and rotated, letting go when Cosmos pulled her weapon. The goddess flipped through the air and landed elegantly on her feet, pushing back her unruly mane of hair. "What are you going to do now Cosmos? I thought of reporting you when I first encountered you at the Orphanage, however, all the others would have laughed at me." A ring of monsters and manikins alike surrounded the panting woman.

Spinning Cierr Harmonia, Cosmos returned them to the void and more surged to take their place.

Smoke rose in columns to the sky and the klaxon blared intermittently. Most of the students grouped together, panicking and fighting against the hordes hounding them. Monsters kept on raining from the sky and at one point; the magical halo burnt itself out.

Holding the scythe tightly, Cosmos closed her eyes and Ultimecia snorted. A sitting duck.

Several dark purple magic circles bloomed across the Garden grounds and partly amused by the woman's desperate attempt, the time witch watched. What could she do? Stripped of power and barely hanging on existence?

"_I Implore You, Death, To Reap._" The goddess chanted. Cierr Harmonia spun out of her hands and rocketed through, across the magic circles and danced to the soundless tune of death. The manikins and monsters keeled where they stood, bursting into transient baubles of light or imploding into severed limbs.

Squall emerged from a crowd of disappearing manikins; he clutched the crystal tightly in his hand. Across the Gardens, terrified students breathed sighs of relief and Cosmos opened her eyes, staring directly at Ultimecia. Beads of sweat bloomed across her fair head and she floated, a disarming calm in her eyes. "Have you forgotten, time sorceress, what I used to be known as?"

'_The Goddess of Death...'_

Breathing deeply, Ultimecia warped Cierr Harmonia.

The white scythe bent and twisted under her control, clanging to the ground as a useless lump of metal. Smoking, it rolled to a stop near Cosmos feet and without breaking stride, the blonde picked it up and smoothed it. Stopping approximately two meters away from Ultimecia, the goddess leveled a scythe at the opponent's throat and breathed heavily.

Ultimecia did not need to be told twice. Glowering haughtily, she left.

By dawn the next day, Balamb Town lay as a pile of smoking ruins. The fishing vessels never made it to shore, torn apart by four legged abominations and accompanying manikins. That night, the moon rose, round, full and cyan. People emerged from their homes, marveling at the fabled occurrence and an impromptu festival occurred. The Townsfolk sang and danced. At Balamb Garden, instructors and students alike helped rebuild their school, pausing occasionally to stare at the moon.

Resting next to a gnarled acacia, Cosmos cupped her spiked Crystal and her eyes bore into the unnatural moon.

The Lunar Cry.

Preceded by an ear splitting, animalistic screech, monsters fell from the sky like meteors. The initial sound-wave shattered Balamb Garden's windows. Thick shards of glass fell, slicing through unsuspecting people. A monster landed, immediately tearing off a head and lobbing it against a wall. The cranium smashed. Cosmos rose to her feet and Squall, who slumped next to her, jumped upright, gripping his gunblade.

"I'm coming with you," he stated listlessly. "This is Ultimecia's doing."

The goddess shook her head. "_No_, you stay here."

And then she teleported.

* * *

Waiting at the edge of a restored Cathedral, Ultimecia welcomed Cosmos with open arms. "I knew you would come here...oh...all out of steam?" The goddess gripped her scythe tightly and panted, simply standing seemed to sap the life out of her. "Thank goodness Garland isn't here, he would spout something about honor in battle and take pity on you." A barrier stopped Cierr Harmonia's downward momentum and several dozen manikins jumped on Cosmos, smothering her. "I will kill you here and Shi-" Ultimecia buckled, both of her hands jerked to her throat and she clawed at it, gasping for breath. A manikin flew at her and she swiped her hand sideways, reducing it to dust.

The time sorceress choked, invisible bonds lifted off the ground and the area around her body shimmered. A serpentine tail coiled around her, tighter and _tighter_, squeezing the breath out of her and she rasped for air. On the floor, Cosmos, supported by her staff clenched her fingers, directing the unseen beast. Ultimecia stared at her opponent and became slack.

Pressure eased from her body.

She thumped to the ground, like a ragdoll and waited for the goddess to finish her off.

Instead, Cosmos hesitated, sorrow flashing in her eyes and the tip of Cierr Harmonia buried in the ground next to Ultimecia's head. "You are puppeteered," the goddess declared and stood taller. "I shall show mercy to you. Leave and let this world be at peace."

Cosmos crumbled to her knees when Ultimecia vanished. Monsters ravaged the fallen continent but wisely ignored her. Trembling, she retrieved the crystal and crushed it, imbuing herself in iron will.

Collapsing, the goddess lay, her cheek pressed against the earth. She gently raked her fingers through the sparse grass and rested, closing her eyes.

"You made a mistake." Hwit flapped and she groaned inaudibly. His ear twitched. "When she comes back to wreak havoc, you will regret letting her live, Cosmos."

* * *

**A/N:** I apologize for the delay, got caught up in things but the next chapter is here. Read and review and tell me what you think.

And it's almost mango season guys


	4. Thicker than water

**Thicker than water**

_In a glade framed by hanging plants spilling from tubs of gold, the goddess walked over a shallow stream. Clear water rushed over her feet, soaking the hem of her long, ivory dress. A translucent, saffron scarf rested on Cosmos's shoulders and her shock of golden blonde hair waved with each movement. She climbed on damp ground and leaving wet footprints over the earth, walked to a stone bench crawling with ivy and sat, inhaling the sweet fragrance of the jasmine flowers sprouting near her feet. _

_Closing her eyes, the goddess dozed and woke with a scythe resting on her lap as thick mist choked the glade and fallen leaves twisted into a vortex of black._

_In the midst, a bronze eye pinned the sitting Cosmos and the fog fell away. Crushing tender plants underfoot, the new individual strode to the stone bench, casting a long shadow over the tall figure. "Stand up," he commanded and pointed to the clearing. "We are sparring, your dominion over time and death is APPALLING."_

_Without complaining, Cosmos glided to the center of the glade and whipped her scythe around, the thick tree trunks around her fell, sliced into neat discs of wood. Planting the staff end of the weapon in the ground, she waited for her mentor's instructions._

_He paced, one eye fixated on Cosmos and directed her through a set of movements. The hanging plants in the garden rustled, releasing spores in the air. Crescent blades of energy scored deep gouges in the ground and she walked over them, restoring the scarred earth back to its former, life giving glory. Still pacing, he gauged the goddess, seeing as she radiated kindness like the sun. However, like the dark side of the moon, she forged ahead with stately purpose, mowing through things in her way, many insects losing their fluttering wings beneath her precise slices. Cierr Harmonia whirled in the glade, a flashing beam of white and a swarm of yellow winged butterflies flocked towards Cosmos, getting their wings mercilessly shredded under her curved blade. Leaves followed this pattern and she carved a tunnel through a pavilion of overhanging branches, slicing flowers and filling the air with the sickly sweet aroma of crushed petals._

_The scythe landed on the ground with a dull thud and she raised her arms, lips moving in an incantation. A command. Time reversed, he found himself pacing backwards, reversing his steps and the cocoon of butterflies and leaves; gold and green, separated, moving to different parts of the glade. The leaves flew back to the trees, torn petals regenerated and the smell of jasmine filled the glade._

_"What do you think?" Cosmos stood tall, head held high. No arrogance shone in her blue irises, but a flicker of fathomless confidence swelled in them. "My mastery of time is complete. I have evolved with this world." She drifted off, long fingers trailing against the ivy wreathing the benches. "Soon, this quietude will shatter and the war will begin, although, I understand the need for such strife and pain," her hand rested on the necklace on her chest, "I do not wish for it. War damages people; it warps the essence of good."_

_Reclining on the stone bench, he still stared at her with eyes of burnished gold. The saffron shawl seemed to slip off Cosmos' shoulders as she flitted from one spot of the glade to the other, talking to plants, running her hand over trees and plunging it in the stream. Despite having the garden imprinted beneath her eyelids, each time they met in here, her face lit up with new curiosity. _

_Toying with a two small dagger, he flicked it and the goddess straightened from her bowed position, catching the bronze knife between her fingers. The blade squirmed in her grasp and soared back to its wielder with a simple gesture. "You improved," he boomed gutturally and the dead leaves around his feet swirled. "The next time we meet, it is to discuss your cycles with him..."_

_His eyes shut._

_The mist swirled._

_And parted to reveal an eroded stone bench._

* * *

A pair of wings fluttered in and out between Cosmos' lucid vision and tree branches netted over her head, shielding her from the harsh sunlight beating down on Centra.

'_A dream?_' She stirred and regarded Hwit, flying impatiently and surveying the desolate countryside for monsters. "I never did thank you," she began and the moogle turned, head ornament bopping, "For taking care of me when I sleep. I often wondered why the monsters did not wake me up; it must be thanks to you."

Hwit snorted contemptuously, "Hmph." In the distance, the broken outline of a once proud cathedral lay in ruins. This world is safe; Cosmos must journey to the next one. "_Move,_" he commanded. "Get back to the void and open the door to your next destination."

The goddess slashed the air and reality parted, giving way to an ornamental door hanging in space. "Cosmos," Hwit turned, pinning her with a golden eyed glare, "Remember what I told you." She faced away from him. "Showing mercy to them is a sign of weakness. You are well aware of their intentions. Is it not your duty to grant them, goddess?"

Once upon a time, when mist covered the land, she feared him. _Revered_ him.

Grasping the door knob, she ducked back into the world of charcoal blackness.

In late twilight, double moons rose over the Kingdom of Baron; the castle flurried with a hive of activity and the guards rushed to and from, anxious to ease the mind of their noble King.

Back rigid on a throne of moonstone, Cecil listened to the latest report, mouth pressing into a worried line when the guard knelt, kissed his hand and retreated. Absentmindedly rubbing the back of his hand, he looked forward to the knight arriving in the throne room and held his breath for good news. The paladin removed his helm, placed armor plated knees on the velvet carpet stretching from the throne area up to the great doors and Cecil swallowed a sigh of impatience. His pale fingers gripped the throne's armrests and he leaned forward, beads clinking in his hair.

"Forgive me my King, but we have searched the surrounding Village of Mist and sent word to the rulers of Fabul and Kaipo for the whereabouts of Lord Golbez however..." The paladin broke off and shared a worried glance with his king. "He is nowhere to be found." Momentarily floored, the king reclined in his throne, struggling to voice the despair crushing his chest. Meanwhile, Queen Rosa rose from her gilded chair, trailing a floor length train of lace and addressed the Paladin.

"And what has become of Ceodore?" She feared for him in such mysterious circumstances. Approximately one week earlier, Golbez was reported missing. The King, refusing to hear the rumors cropping in the wake of his disappearing brother, spearheaded an extensive search party, alongside his most trusted adviser, Kain. When Golbez failed to turn up, Cecil hesitatingly returned back to the throne and prepared the Kingdom of Baron for an attack. He ordered the guards to shut the gates and people gathered, clutching their children apprehensively when the officials carried out the decrees. Huge, stone slabs sealed the area and isolated the Castle Town from the rest of the fertile region of Baron. The atmosphere became electric and strained. Amidst all of these dangers, Ceo suddenly decided to go on a mission to the moon.

The Paladin bowed again, "My lady, the prince is adamant to leave, he will not listen, perhaps you may persuade him to..."

Behind them, the door swung open on oiled hinges and in soared Ceodore, his striped scarf billowing like a cape. He whirled to a stop before the royal couple and sank to his knees. "My King!" The boy boomed exuberantly. "By your leave, I am taking a faction of the Red Wings under my command to the Crystal Palace on the Red Moon." Stunned into silence, Rosa opened her mouth to speak but Ceo ploughed on. "We will be departing shortly, please give me your blessings."

Ceodore stood up and puffed his chest proudly. Peeling their attention away from the paladin kneeling in Ceo's shadow, the King and Queen fixated on their son. Pale as the Lunarians, he often liked to blaze off on foolhardy missions.

"Ceo...I'm your father," Cecil eventually choked out and rose. "You already proved your worth to me and you cannot leave Baron at this time. As a section commander of the Red Wings," the King paused when Ceo's eyes dimmed in contemplation. "As a section commander..." Cecil fought desperately to make his son understand, "...you are to remain here in case Baron is ordered for war."

The prince lifted his chin. "My King," he said and Rosa flinched when Cecil defeatedly slumped back on his throne. "Just because I'm the prince does not excuse me from duties to my Kingdom. I don't like it when you two treat me like I'm royalty." Ceodore's face colored and the refined speech he often practiced fell into tatters. "I'm going; I have to train just so I can be like you and Kain!" He spun on his boot and the striped scarf sailed over the Paladin. "Besides..." his head rotated, "Uncle Golbez might just be there."

Saying this, he sped off whilst Cecil opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

Golbez on the moon?

He frowned. Why did he not think of that?

Pale white dust covered the gold accents trimming her jacket and with Cierr Harmonia clasped in one hand, Cosmos journeyed across the moon. The Crystal palace, breaking the desert-like monotony, pulsed and called to her and Cosmos eagerly followed the glowing trails and the luminous crystal mountains to the destination. A second moon, a marble of cyan, rose on the Red Moon and she often stared at it, mesmerized by its beauty.

Such a beautiful world and yet, ravaged by the species colonizing it. Along the way, she bore witness to empty shells of civilization. Her feet paused at the entrance to a small hamlet and she stood there, drinking in the hate and destruction of war.

No.

A goddess was above hate.

Pushing the hood off her face, she entered the ghost town. Violent winds gnawed the building faces, weathering away at the soft, lunar stone used to build such cities and towns. No vegetation grew on the moon but luminous crystals became the seed of an advanced technology. She brushed her fingers across doors and wondered if she could possibly return it into a time of glory. Such neglect and abandon saddened her.

It hurt her.

"There is a disturbance launching from the earth," Hwit materialized and announced when Cosmos' face wrinkled in sadness. She bent to pick up a stone cradle and her eyes softened when she held it out to him.

"Look, a stone cradle." A wide smile split her face apart and grudgingly, Hwit decided to humor her.

"How fantastic," he drawled and winked out of view.

Entering a home, she placed the stone cradle on a bed long stripped off its down mattress and colorful sheets. Inside the domed enclosure, warmth spread to the tips of her hair roots and she slowly touched the furniture and the gleaming crystal altar.

_"A goddess must always be impartial. An observer. Do not interfere; let history run its course."_

She remembered the gold burnished eyes, searing into her. When they came together for lessons, Cosmos could barely look at him.

_"You can guide, but under no circumstances may you interfere. This is what we do. We observe and weep when the creations go astray."_

Exiting the town, Cosmos wrestled her hair into the hood. She lingered in the colony of warm memories, happy smiles and beautiful children before it all crumbled to dust.

Ashes to ashes,_ dust to dust_.

When she walked away, the goddess left fragments of luminous crystals in her wake.

The Crystal Palace spires stretched, lunging for the second, marbled moon; broken reflection multiplied infinite times, Cosmos glided across the reflective floor and into the foyer. Grand staircases of glowing crystal rose to the second and third floors. The entire area thrummed with boundless energy and pale white powder littered the surfaces.

Brushing a crystal bench free from dust, the goddess sat down and waited for the warrior who will lead her to the crystal. An eerie wind blew outside, weaving through rock and caves and leaving the song of lament in her ears.

* * *

Far away from the Crystal Palace, a ship crash-landed on the Red Moon.

Ceodore kicked and left an imprint of his boot on the metallic door but it refused to wield. Inhaling deeply, he kicked again and the door flew outwards, tumbling on the moon desert before coming to a stop. Dizzy, he stumbled out of the small, cramped ship and collapsed on the ground, gulping in oxygen starved air. For a few moments he stayed there, hunched and mentally reiterating the harrowing journey to the moon.

His mind must be playing tricks on him, the youngster decided and jumped up, marching to the airship. Entering the large room doubly serving as the cockpit and cabin, he blinked and knelt next to a body lying on the floor. Cold. Gently laying the person down, he touched the next one.

_Freezing_. Like the atmosphere of the moon.

The modest crew of the airship, all five save for Ceodore, lay in various poses, stiff and cadaveric.

What would the King say if he returned like this?

He stepped out of the mangled airship.

Could he go home with that piece of junk?

Ceo traced the warped, metal frame and his eyes swept to the desolate landscape of the moon. An overwhelming loneliness and fear squeezed his heart and he tightened the scarf around himself. Once the Red Moon served as an exciting destination, fraught with danger and adventure, from now on however, he retrieved the door and whacked it back into the gaping entrance; it will remind him of the gruesome deaths he caused.

Perhaps if he listened to the King, his father, and stayed at Baron. This tragedy would never have happened.

The striped scarf fluttered behind him and Ceodore started for the Crystal Palace.

Time to look for uncle Golbez.

* * *

The lunar subterrane was an endless field of white sand, bluffs of soft, moon rock and tall cliffs of azure crystal. Craters pitted the surface like scars and these were visible from the earth. Ceodore never understood why people called it the Red Moon, there was nothing remotely red about it and he often heard stories from uncle Golbez, from the King about how a race of Lunarians once populated the Red Moon. They spoke about buildings of crystal and colonies of villages and as he trudged, boots sifted by sand, the young boy found it difficult to believe such a civilization existed before his time. Here and there a wrecked building, crumbling before his very eyes, cropped up, but hardly any sign of civilization remained.

He jumped from a higher cliff and continued on a lower one. Here, the moon cracked and a line of silver blue crystal kept him company. Ceodore's sword, belted at the waist, clicked with each step and he listened to it, forcibly piloting his mind away from the wrecked airship. For the first hour, he succeeded, occupying his mind with every niggling thought, however the landscape stretched on, the Crystal Palace seemed to run backwards with each stride forward and he could not get their haunted faces out of his mind.

One tear sailed from his left eye, joined shortly by another one from his right. By the time his boots touched the Palace steps, Ceodore's nose ran, his eyelids became puffy and swollen and he hiccuped.

The doors to the palace, which must be closed at all times, remained slightly ajar. Rubbing his face with the scarf and sniffing, Ceodore peeked through the tiny crack and searched. Nothing came in his limited field of vision. Silently pushing the door open, he stepped through, careful to leave it open in case he needed a quick getaway. Wind rushed through the eroded parts of the palace, mourning woefully and his footfalls echoed too loudly. "Uncle Golbez?" Ceo whispered, hand resting on the pommel of his sword. When no dark monsters rushed to kill him, he relaxed and marched to the stairs, taking care not to make much noise.

An intruder sat on the third floor, head hooded by a white, gold trimmed jacket. The individual, holding a long staffed scythe, carved pillars of crystal into...Ceodore squinted, mildly offended. Even _he_ could carve better than that! Delicate shapes of Shiva and other statues adorned Castle Baron and master craftsman paid a high price to get their hands on the most luminous, red moon crystal they could find.

Still keeping a firm grip on his weapon, he approached the intruder and the person turned. Momentarily amazed by the bright smile on the woman's face, Ceodore jumped backwards. She could be a witch or a white mage. Irises narrowed, he questioned.

"You must be the Warrior leading me to the Crystal," Cosmos interjected before the child spoke and rose, brushing silvers of sparking crystal off her lap. "So young and brave!" She clapped her hands and Cierr Harmonia dissolved. "What is your name?"

"Huh?" Ceodore let out in surprise. "Oh..." He quickly stood tall to regain his decorum. "My name is Ceodore Harvey; I am a section commander of the Red Wings." Cosmos smiled wider, prompting him to deflate. "I am here on a mission on behalf of my King to search for uncle Golbez. My crew..." He stopped and fixed a questioning gaze at the goddess. "And who are you? You are not a Lunarian." Her skin was not pale enough. "Why are you on the Red Moon and how did you come here?" His sword whistled out of the sheath. "Depending on your answer, I will have to remove you should you be a threat to the Kingdom of Baron."

* * *

A/N: Back with Ceodore's story. Please read and reivew and much thanks to all those who reads this story


	5. Weight of the Heart

**Weight of the Heart**

The silver blade winked in dim light cast by the surrounding crystals. Unwavering, Ceodore studied the lady.

He sensed no hostilities but the intruder should not be on the Red Moon. How did she get here? There was only one airship station, barely functional but still in use.

Opposite him, Cosmos studied the boy.

His heart flared bright in his chest but recently, spots of sorrow bloomed on them.

She stepped closer and his gloved grip tightened. The boy throatily issued another warning and disregarding them, Cosmos wrapped her hands around the blade and his mouth pressed into a grim line. Eyebrows drawn, he attempted to pull his sword out and silver ichor dripped to the floor.

"That's not blood," Ceodore articulated at the steaming droplets on the floor. Small clusters of crystal sprouted and he reluctantly relinquished his grasp. "What are you?" he quizzed, puzzled and suddenly recognition dawned on his face. "You're a white mage," he exclaimed. "Like my mother. But… there is something different about you."

Cosmos laughed. "I am not a white mage, my name is Cosmos." Ceodore remained on alert. "And I need your help." Wiping the boy's sword, she returned it back to him and with a wary glance; he sheathed it in his leather holster. "Have you seen this Crystal?" Picking up a lump from the ground, the goddess molded into a rectangle with jagged edges. The luminous blue assumed a darker hue and it reminded the child of his father's dark armor. He wracked his brains whilst Cosmos continued, "This Crystal belongs to me, I gave it to..." Fingers gripped the Crystal; she could not remember the name of her Warriors. "A noble Paladin. I need it back due to certain circumstances."

The Crystal, shining dully in the lady's hands, looked like an exact replica of the one his father mounted on a pedestal in the throne room. Although anyone seeking an audience with the King saw the violet crystal, taking it proved to be near impossible. The King guarded the jewel jealously, claiming it was a keepsake from a goddess. So Cosmos gave it to him? Ceodore tried to wrap his head around it. When? _Where? _And did Mother know about this? Shaking his head, he declared, "That Crystal belongs to the King, my father. His name is Cecil Harvey." He paused, discontent growing in his chest. Clearly the lady was not lying about the Crystal, however, would the King hand it over? And in such trying times? "You need to speak to him if you want it, he keeps a strict watch over it, the throne room is set with traps and guards and getting it is impossible." Ceo shook his head, recalling his own, harrowing episode when he tried to ease the crystal from its pedestal.

"He will give it to me," Cosmos stated, her voice vibrating like strings. "We must hurry." Cierr Harmonia materialized and she gripped it, her gaze boring through the Crystal Palace floor, through the lunar bedrock and past the space separating the Red Moon from Earth. Manikins and an Emperor marched to the Kingdom of Baron, setting fire to the town and killing people indiscriminately. "The fires of war have struck the Kingdom of Baron." Her eyes rested on Ceodore, his face a mask of frozen horror. "We should leave at once."

She wreathed her hand in his and he numbly held on, comforted by the warmth. Cosmos walked down the stairs and he dragged after her. Their feet carried them over reflective crystal, past the steps leading outside and finally on the desolate, lunar subeterrane.

"Huh..." Ceodore blinked. "I don't have an airship," he confessed and bit his lips. "No actually, I have one but all my members are dead." Cosmos listened to the boy, his nails dug into her palm and droplets of sweat collected on his ghost white face. "The King...my dad, he told me to stay and I didn't listen to him, I wanted to show him...I wanted to be a King by my own merit, not because I'm his son. But everywhere I go; the people whisper that I'll ascend the throne by birthright." His face fell and the goddess clasped him to her chest. "I don't like it; it all feels like a burden to me and now this...the war." Words muffled, Ceodore poured his resentment. "I hate war Cosmos, why do people do such awful things? I don't understand."

Below, the Emperor's forces marched towards the gate, battering the solid stone with a ram. Monsters dripped blood, the manikins fanned around the man wielding a golden scepter. Behind the fortified walls of Castle Baron, the King amassed a small army. An individual holding a spear, dropped next to him.

A hail of magic and arrows soared from beyond the ancient stone walls. The first line of manikins crumbled, bursting into light. A fireball smashed against the Emperor's chest and he merely brushed it aside, nose wrinkling disgustedly.

Monsters howled in fright, their cries deafening across the battle field of decaying corpses and tree stumps.

Cosmos knew she must go and mediate the war; yet, here, another young warrior battled with himself and stained her pure white jacket with tears. He clenched his fists, berating himself for leading many people to their death. She stroked his wispy, blonde hair and he tore away from her, wiping his tears with his striped scarf. Ceodore started at the barren landscape, cheeks flushed in embarrassment and she cupped his cold hands. "Mankind has always done awful things," she explained and he listened. "Sometimes, they are not aware that they do wrong. The boy scrunched his face in disagreement. "And ofttimes, they are aware of what they do; however, they lie to themselves by asserting that what they, do is right."

"Lying to themselves...huh?" The boy whispered under his breath. "I think uncle Golbez lies to himself a lot. Father too." He stared contemplatively at the sand. "I'm not gonna be like them." He started for the airship station and Cosmos trailed after him, a smile blooming on her face. "Come, we have to hurry," Ceo sprinted and the goddess matched his stride effortlessly, "I have to warn the King about this war you are talking about."

* * *

Too late.

On earth, in the Kingdom of Baron, a battering ram cracked the stone slab in half and soldiers rushed towards the Emperor, attended by an entourage of his glowing manikins. Swords and spears impaled their transient forms and both men and manikin fell. Dark clouds gathered over the region and the Mateus called for a rain of lightning to smite his enemies. Several men fell dead at his feet, gurgling vengefully. Using them as stepping stones, he flew through the gate and generated a cyclone when a hail of arrows, metal tips glinting, rained on him from the ramparts. The wind tore the arrows away and a second wave sailed after the first one. A troop of monsters surged at his flank, protecting him from the useless arrows. They fell, uttering groans of misery and irritated, the Emperor waved his staff and marched to the army, rose tinted cape flaring dramatically behind him.

Uncountable pairs of hate filled eyes followed the gold armored man as he stalked to their beloved King.

"Prepare yourself!" Cecil bellowed to his men. "There will be a meteor shower." Nodding to Rosa who raised her staff, he bid his time. The horses jumped when flaming boulders pelted from the pewter grey sky and bounced off a gigantic shield. Queen Rosa held herself with stately elegance despite the strain on her brow. A horn sounded in the distance and the army charged. Smoking meteorites crashed into the ramparts, tumbling stone and flattening people. The wails of the dead joined monster screeches and Cecil lunged, Kain by his side.

Emperor Mateus stabbed Kain in the thigh and flung the dragoon; Cecil paused to watch his friend smashing against a castle wall, armor dislodging from his chest. Fisting his sword tightly, the King ducked when the golden staff scythed across his head and struck the Emperor in the shoulder, eyes widening when his Light sword merely bounced off. Jumping back from an arc of lightning, he slashed his sword across Mateus abdomen and the sword sizzled against the man's armor. Parrying a strike to his chest, Cecil jammed his weapon in a shoulder guard, pried it off and dove to the side, cape whirling just as a dark blur whipped past him. Kain stabbed the exposed shoulder and a shaft of brilliant white lightning traveled down the spear and fried the Emperor.

Queen Rosa joined the two, her eyes narrowed and hands clasped on her staff.

The three held their breath when Mateus stepped out unharmed from the attack and regarded his tattered mantle. "Fine resistance you put up, Cecil, King of Baron." He stated and the army surrounded him, keeping a respectful distance with their swords aimed at the Emperor. "Though none of you puny insects can harm me!" He raised his head defiantly, daring Cecil to attack. The King stepped protectively in front of Rosa. "Do you know where your dear brother is?"

Taken aback by the question, Cecil roared a command when his army moved towards the Emperor. Between the forest of legs, monsters lay in pieces, trampled beyond recognition. A powerful whirlwind threw the organized army into chaos as more manikins shimmered into view. Rallying under a blast from the horn, they moved to deal with the new threats and the King jerked back when a gleaming scepter stabbed his upper arm.

The Emperor smiled callously.

Cecil tore the weapon out of his arm and immediately the skin turned purple, necrotizing. "Our weapons do not scratch him," he rasped, blood flecking his cyanotic lips. "Brother Golbez…Mateus is here because he knows none of us can harm him." The King exchanged a glance with Kain, but beneath the dragoon's helm, the expression was unreadable. "Go back to the castle Rosa; there are soldiers who need your help. We will be fine here." Without a word, Kain launched at the Emperor, he did _not_ want to hear another good-willed quarrel between the royal couple.

"Cecil," Rosa started, her fingers clenching. "There is a powerful poison in your bloodstream and if I do not heal you," she wiped the blood on his lips with her thumb, "you will not live to see the end of this day...and Ceodore," her hand fell away and a blood smear decorated her soiled dress, "I am happy he is not here."

The moment she expressed her relief, Kain rocketed backwards, most of his armor flew after him and his long hair tangled with his spear. He smashed into Cecil, knocking him into a heap of corpses. Rosa froze, turning slowly to see the Emperor emerge from a dust screen with a monster by his side. The creature chomped and a corpse, cleaved in half, fell from his jaws. She closed her eyes as an arrow picked the beast off and focused her magic.

"Heal." She begged for the rising warriors. A hand grabbed her ponytail and yanked her head back.

And she stared at death's mauve irises.

The glittering sword sliced through the Emperor's arm. A clean cut.

The pressure on Rosa's head decreased and she rotated, startled at the half arm near her boot. "Don't touch my mother," Ceodore hissed, driving his small sword into Mateus' abdomen, the man seethed in pain, touched the blade and recoiled, jumping back. "Where is the King?" Ceo asked frantically and dragged Rosa away from the battle site. "I need the Crystal," he insisted and looked back. "She needs the Crystal!" He let go of the Queen's hand and fell on Cecil. "Dad...huh?" Ceodore stopped when Cecil rose; clad head to toe in his dark armor. "Dad listen to me." The boy grabbed his father's upper arm and the King winced slightly. "The Crystal, Cosmos needs it!"

"Lady Cosmos?" Cecil scanned the battlefield. "She is here?"

In response, the goddess teleported next to him and flung her scythe, keeping the Emperor busy with her dancing blade. "Yes," she panted as Cecil respectfully dropped to one knee. "And you must be Cecil, noble King of Baron." She bent, pulled his helmet off and a cascade of snow white hair swept on his shoulders. "You were one of my Warriors." Cosmos gently pressed the hollow in his neck and his erratic pulse ebbed, turning normal. "The Crystal, I must have it. Bring it to me." Cierr Harmonia flew back into her hands, its brilliance hurting Cecil's eyes and he hesitated.

Give up his keepsake?

His people meant so much to him. Cosmos saw hesitancy flicker in the noble King's eyes. Behind them, Kain stirred and heaved upright, irritably bunching his hair into a messy ponytail. The goddess invoked death and beads of sweat cropped on her forehead, trailing down her cheeks. Panting, she waited for the Warrior to make his decision.

"Please keep my Kingdom safe," Cecil's words were barely heard above the sounds of carnage and he left, trying to wrestle his son along. Ceodore ducked the King's outstretched arms and took his place next to Cosmos.

"I'm fighting with her," he declared. "I want to be useful to our Kingdom."

The boy rushed, his mother's cries echoing in the wind.

* * *

Jacket plastered to her body, Cosmos teleported in front of the Emperor, he stared, in outrage, at his left arm stump and redirected his hatred at her. The goddess panted and when she lifted her scythe, the blade wavered.

The Emperor smirked.

She? A threat?

Twirling his golden staff, he summoned meteors from the sky whilst simultaneously keeping an eye for the boy nuisance. By all means, no weapon in this universe...in this backward Kingdom of Baron - the man's lips twisted into a sneer - should be able to harm him. However the pale skinned prince, straw hair snarled in an upright hedge, used his puny sword and sliced his arm off. A throb echoed from his abdomen and bending double, Mateus watched the stars rain down on the figure in white.

In the distance, a dust cloud choked the air, the army rushed around, scattering into small groups and converging on the clusters of monsters and manikins. Horse hooves stamped, vibrating the ground and the soldiers stopped, looking uncertainly up at the sky. The hunting horn blasted and disregarding their fears, they tore through the newly created manikins. Whirling the scythe above her head, Cosmos' coat flared as she slammed the weapon on the ground; the earth cracked, crescent blades of energy soared from below, dicing the smoking meteors into piles of harmless rubble. A growing sense of unease expanded in the Emperor's chest and quite suddenly, Cosmos appeared before him, coat flaring, arm outstretched and reaching for his scepter.

She swept her weapon across his chest and his impervious armor melted. A line of crimson scarred his chest and shocked; Mateus touched it with a purple gloved hand and whirled around, kicking. The kick missed. Cosmos grabbed him by his leg and flung him into the snarling masses of monsters and determined soldiers.

Landing on his feet, he kept the goddess at by with a cyclone of wind. A blur of red and white, a scarf, weaseled its way into the heart of the battleground and Mateus sped away, eager to deal with the boy. Meanwhile, Cosmos collapsed the cyclone and searched for him. She carved an inroad into a hoard of monsters rushing for her and a dark spear struck the ground, trailing lightning and charring the column of growling creatures. Leaving Kain to deal with the manikins, the goddess teleported after Mateus, her head held high. His rose cape missed her by bare inches and he came to an abrupt stop, lifting his golden spear rather awkwardly.

"I have an offering for you." Emperor Mateus turned, his arm stump swinging uselessly with him. He flung a body at Cosmos' feet and she stared, blue eyes unblinking at the boy rolling to a stop at her toes.

He clutched a crystal. _Her crystal_. "I believe you enchanted his blade," the man hissed poisonously. "Because the only one who can harm me, does not reside in this world."

His words drowned in the rush of blood in Cosmos' ears and she knelt, laid Cierr Harmonia aside and picked Ceodore's lifeless body from the blood strained ground. The lukewarm body quickly cooled and she wrapped her arms around him, irises fixed on the crystal he clutched so protectively. Ceo's eyes were half closed and beneath his puffy eyelids, she glimpsed unwavering determination. Stroking his stiffened fingers, she laid him gently down on the ground and rose slowly.

"You have transgressed," Cosmos whispered. "And I shall show no mercy."

"Hah!" Mateus exclaimed. "You are in no position to talk to me like that you wench." He glared arrogantly. "You can hardly swing that weapon around. You are pathetic and weak," he roared, furious at the sorrow swirling in her irises. Why is she directing such a gaze at him? Him, the Emperor of Pandemonium and earthly world alike? He who defeated Satan and seized his throne? "What are you going to do now? I suggest you step aside or I'll cut off your head and mount in on my palace wall."

"Your pride will the end of you," the goddess breathed. True, she swayed on her feet and her crystal lay a tempting, few meters behind her, fastened in a child's grasp. However, Cosmos raised her scythe and inhaled deeply, the dead must be respected.

Cierr Harmonia whirled above her head, a halo of white. A ring of fire sprouted from the blades and scorched the surrounding landscape. Devouring through the remains of monsters and leaving the soldiers untouched. The sacred flames ate rock, devoured grass, trees and the castle stone.

Curious by the fire, Cecil vaulted through it, along with Rosa and came to a deadly standstill. A magic circle, choking with flower and sweet smelling plants, lay under Cosmos' feet and roughly a meter away...

His heart crawled to a stop.

Strength flooded in Cosmos' veins as she sacrificed the land of Baron. The sacred fire died, leaving a bleached, blackened landscape in its wake. Face purple in disbelief, the Emperor commanded the wind and meteorites to tear the goddess, but they refused. A light breeze brushed across her face, bringing in the scent of death and ruin. Standing tall, the goddess leapt and the curved blade flashed. Above, the pewter grey sky dissipated as she neatly sliced Mateus' head off.

His falling head shimmered. The eyes rolled. His lips quirked into the barest hint of a smile.

And he vanished.

A heartbroken sob, more painful to her than any other cry, erupted from behind her and putting on her hood, the goddess turned to see the King and Queen squeezing Ceodore to their chest. He still held the crystal and his father tenderly eased the luminous, dark purple gem from his small fingers. Cecil's face petrified in a mask of nothing and Rosa sobbed, burying her son's head in her chest. The King shuffled to Cosmos, knelt and presented the Crystal to her.

"You can..." The words stuck in his throat. "The Crystal grants you power, please, Ceodore is my son. Give him back to us."

Cosmos lowered her eyes and Cecil still knelt at her feet, hair a dirty white mess, lips and eyes ringed with blood. He stared imploringly at her and sighed heavily when the goddess turned away.

* * *

**A/N:** It's raining cats and dogs and dust. And the mangoes are still unripe. Anyway, read and review and much gratitude to all those who read this story. Hope you find it entertaining.


	6. In the name of war

**In The Name of War**

From their perspective, the ceremony must be quite frightening.

The King and Queen of Baron receded into a shadowed alcove, surreptitiously glancing at their son lying on a table. Cecil's most trusted friend, Kain, swathed in layers of bandages and fingers curled around his prized spear, marched up and down, long pony tail swinging and eyes fixed on the goddess.

For her part, Cosmos pried Ceodore's mouth apart and extracted a quivering ball of light. Rosa, still wearing her soiled, battle torn dress, carefully walked to the table and after a moment's hesitation, Cecil followed her.

Kain glared from the other corner of the room.

"Is that...my Ceo's soul?" Rosa asked, hand clasped in front of her chest. "It's beautiful and bright." She cupped her hands around the orb. "And very warm." Tears sprung to her eyes and Cosmos smiled. The King turned to his wife and caught her before she hit the floor in a dead faint. In spite of his Queen's headstrong personality, she could not bear any harm to her son. Nodding to the goddess, he teleported Rosa out of the chamber.

Holding the pulsing soul in one hand, Cosmos spread her arms apart and a bauble of light appeared in her left hand. She weighed the two and suspicious, the dark dragoon stalked closer to her and demanded what she did.

"I am weighing his soul," The goddess replied, her eyes closed and words dreamy.

"He is a _child_!" Kain hissed, secretly unnerved by the porcelain doll figure of Ceodore lying on a stone gurney etched with magical runes. He missed the boy running though the courtyard, blazing off headlong into disastrous missions and pulling his young band of Red Wings along with him. Kain and Golbez often chased after the young prince, who had a knack of getting in the stickiest of places. "That boy has a clean conscious...he..." Kain quieted when Ceodore's soul pulsed an angry red. Suddenly he was afraid. What HAPPENED to the soldiers he took with him to the moon?

Cosmos' fingers closed around the two objects in her palm and the bubble of light shattered. The other orb beat strongly against her palm and squeezing it, she placed it back in Ceodore's mouth. Leaning over him, the goddess observed.

First, his forehead wrinkled, the boy's eyes fluttered and closed and at last, he sneezed and sat bolt upright, head colliding against Cosmos' chin.

Eyes wide open in fright; he absentmindedly scratched his hair, shuddered when an intense spasm ran down his legs and slowly lay back on the gurney, tired. A wild shock of blonde hair sharpened into clarity and he stared at the woman. "Cosmos? Huh...did you get the crystal?" She nodded. "Is the Ki...is Mom and Dad safe?" he continued and turned his head slowly, eyes resting on a wounded Kain who smiled in relief. "Uncle Golbez, was he found?"

"No Ceo." Cecil laid a hand on his son's wispy haired head. "Uncle Golbez is still at large. But we will find him."

The King hesitated before wrapping his arms around his son and hugging him tightly. Kain moved, letting go of his spear and briefly squeezing Cecil's shoulder.

Seeing the exchange, Cosmos silently weaved towards the door. The stone arch gave way to a vividly blue sky and a kingdom scorched by fire. Ashes swirled in the breeze and it will take the Kingdom of Baron a long time to recover from the destruction she rained on it, but in the process, the Kingdom will prosper and have one less thing to worry about. Materializing in a whirl of dark wings, Hwit hovered next to her, surveying the countryside with eyes of burnished gold.

"Where to next?" he asked and perched on Cosmos' shoulder.

"Pandemonium; the Capital of Hell," the goddess replied and Hwit's face scrunched into a pensive frown. "I shall be alright, I possess two crystals already and from the memory gleaned in Emperor Mateus' dying conscious, the next Crystal will be there." Her voice became soft. "I can feel it...However, there is something wrong."

Toying with the dagger, Hwit launched off her shoulder. "You only have two Crystals," he whirled around, "and your sacrifices kills creation." She nodded, head bowed. "Cosmos, the other side of the war will begin to hunt your crystals. They will know," he warned.

She laughed. "You must appreciate time Hwit. Appreciation births love and compassion." The moogle's face hardened into a tepid glower and he vanished. Sighing, Cosmos lifted Cierr Harmonia and slashed. The fabric of reality parted and she reached for the corridor to the Void.

"Cosmos!" A shout rang behind her.

"Address her as Lady Cosmos!" A second, admonishing shrill followed Ceodore as he sprinted for the half vanishing goddess.

"Don't leave...I mean, please do not leave!" The child stopped and panted for breath. "You can help us find Uncle Golbez and train me. I have never seen anyone fight as gracefully as you." He stood; small chest puffed forward and scarf billowing in the wind. Smiling at him, the goddess shook her head and stepped into the swallowing void. Ceodore's eyes widened in panic as he spied the interior roaming with beasts spawned of hatred. Alarmed he reached out to stop her and she pushed his hand away.

"No Ceodore," her voice penetrated into his skull, sounding very unpleasant. "Go back and remember the promise."

No lying to yourself.

The fabric of reality smoothed over and once where a gaping hole reflected demons of the dark; now showed a stretch of black grass. Letting his arm fall to his side, Ceodore turned to his father. Cecil's face reflected a mess of emotions and the King's eyes rested on the empty scabbard slung around the boy's bony waist.

"Prince Ceodore Harvey." Ceo saluted the King. "Ready for service."

The pale King smiled, shook his head and dragged his son off to visit his mother.

"Stop admiring Hell's architecture!" Hwit grumbled whilst Cosmos brushed her fingers over the sin clad walls of Pandemonium. Each time she touched the purple patterned bricks, her skin sizzled and smoked. Marring the pain with a stately glare, the goddess surged forward, heels smoking on the ground. When Hwit flashed into existence to accompany her on the long journey through the twisted corridors of Hell, Cosmos smiled, her frown melting like ice under a blazing sun.

A fierce burn blackened the skin on her palm. "You are doing the same." She pointed out and his head bauble shook angrily. Wails of the cursed wreathed their ears as they descended in Pandemonium. Heat sucked the area dry and Cosmos lowered her hood, wiping sweat from her forehead. Her vision swam, her hands shook and taking another few steps, she settled heavily on the ground. The floor roared angrily and steam wafted upward. Pausing in midflight, Hwit sternly glared, keeping a ring of monsters at bay, doubling back, he lowered himself to Cosmos' level and studied her face.

_Drained._

She could barely keep her eyes open and her hair hung in ragged strands.

"You resurrected the child," the moogle brusquely announced and flicked his dagger in the direction of a bold monster. It sliced through the air, burying itself on the left side of the chest; the heart. Hwit heard the Lamia Queen's heart sputter, gurgle and empty. His bronze knife flew back and he turned. "The prince was better off dead." The moogle twirled the dagger in his furry paws and threw it, watching another monster bleed to death under the ultraviolet light.

The goddess frowned. "Your words displease me." She held Hwit's gaze. "A single death may plunge the Kingdom of Baron into destitution." A heavy silence blanketed the area, not even the monsters dared to growl. "The prince's death will warp the minds of the fair King and Queen with grief. Thus, they will turn their reign into an ignoble one." Cosmos struggled to rise off the floor and Hwit flapped closer, wrapping his tiny arms around her and hauling her up. "Hwit, you have become disillusioned, what happened to you?"

Instead of replying, the snow white moogle shot off into the pulsing hallways. "Find the Crystal," he tossed the words over his shoulder. "Reviving the brat cost you a considerable amount of power." he pointed to the malicious walls. "Pandemonium is not helping." Cosmos observed him leave and her features scrunched delicately. She closed her eyes and burrowed into the walls, following the moogle as he flapped on his tiny, webbed wings. Several times Hwit rotated, glowering her with eyes of burnished gold, she dug further into his mind and a sharp throb of pain hammered her temples. Eyes flying open, the goddess trudged forward, leaving a faint trail of light in her wake.

"What happened to _you_?"

* * *

Emperor Mateus relived his second resurrection in his dying moments. As Cosmos felled him, she saw it in his eyes. In a barren plain studded with smoking pools of lava, the Emperor stared at a distant mountain, eyes fixed on a throne of black iron forged from the blood of the undead. Mateus gaze shifted involuntarily, he gazed at his army of mindless manikins with palpable disgust and marched to Pandemonium. The throne room, checkered with squares of navy and blue, held a beautiful glass chair and on top of the throne, laid a crystal; blinding light searing the Emperor's mauve irises. Raising his gold gilded staff to shield himself, he marched to the object, bewildered. Mateus tried to smash it into smithereens but the crystal would not crack.

Ultimecia arrived, the skin above her dress' scandalous neckline crisscrossed with scars. Cosmos stared in the woman's timeless gaze and she in turn, informed the Emperor about a blonde, messy haired nuisance.

The Emperor did not relinquish his hold on the crystal. He knew who put it there and eagerly, the goddess repeated the name under her breath.

"Firion."

Sitting on a wooden barstool and admiring the flowers growing in a box on the window sill, Firion let chatter drift in and out of his ears. His weapons all lay on top of the polished, oak-wood countertop and the barmaid nervously glanced at them and at the dark skinned man smiling at the...flowers, sun? She could never tell. She rubbed a wineglass with a towel and set it on the shelf behind her.

Rows of bottles, tinted glasses reflecting the armored stranger, faced her and she admired the man's reflection in them. Growing flustered, she gathered her courage, wrung her apron and approached him. The glint of a curved dagger seemed to wink at her from beneath an axe with a jeweled handle and she swallowed anxiously.

"May I help you? Sir?" The barmaid breathlessly queried, cheeks flushing when he turned and ponderously rested light brown eyes on her. Self-conscious about the smattering of freckles sprinkled across her nose, she wiped her hands on the white apron and smiled. "You have been sitting in her for three hours now," she explained. "A-And I thought, you might be thirsty." Instead of replying, Firion smiled, the bar door opened and a shout rang out.

"Firion!" Guy boomed and the smile inched wider. "Stop ogling the barmaid and come see the Town. You return after so long and I find you cooped up in here." Striding across the floor boards creaking under his weight, Guy dropped into a stool next to Firion and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Fynn is being rebuilt; you should check the town thoroughly. We are restoring the Castle, although, it will be open to the public from now on."

"How did you find me?" Firion asked and got up; he crossed to the windowsill and peered at the flowers. Fuchsia roses, dappled with sunshine, swayed in a slight breeze and beyond the bar's grimy windows, reconstruction of the town took place. Workers scurried to and fro, carrying basket of sand, loading animals with crates of bricks and hauling stone. Shouts rang in the street, boots crushed grass and flowers and grim determination shone on everyone's faces. "I didn't tell anyone I was coming," Firion touched the roses tenderly, "not even Maria so how did you know?"

Guy knocked back a tankard and grinned toothily. "A little birdie told me." He laughed when Firion sighed. "So are you here to stay? Maria is very worried about you roaming around Palamecia all on your own." The chatter in the bar died as the half-drunk patrons listened. Gathering the mini armory piled on the counter, Guy grabbed Firion and together, the two stepped out. "What do you do there? Castle Palamecia is gone and there is only..." the big man lost his voice and absentmindedly touched a myriad of ugly scars spiraling down his muscle bound arms. "Come home Firion, you don't belong there."

Already, Fynn regained its former glory. Blue tiled houses sprang up and communal Inns, for the out of town workers, rooted at every major street turn. The cobblestones lining the pathways gleamed granite, untouched by dirt of the centuries. A giant stone wall enclosed the hamlet and workers toiled at the edges, rebuilding the crumbled spaces. The horizon, pierced by the Castle's blue capped turrets, shone turquoise and Firion wandered towards it. Rose hedges lined the sidewalks and small children planted trees in clusters. He passed a young girl handing out rose buds and eagerly took one, staring at the whorls. The noise and clattering disorientated him and he swerved out of the way as a horse cart rushed down the newly created streets. Hoof beats echoed in his ears long after the cart and rider left, leaning in the shade, he kneaded his forehead and watched a shapely young lady flit from one vegetable stall to the other.

"Stay here and settle down." Guy munched on an apple and snorted when Firion flushed at the young lady. She coyly grinned at him and disappeared into the crowd, her skirts whirling colorfully. "There are lots of beautiful women around, you'll be happy."

"I prefer watching," Firion stated and pushed himself off the tree trunk. Driven out of the war ravaged continent of Palamecia by a sense of unease, he came to Fynn for a distraction. Unfortunately, the weight in the pit of his stomach persisted and under the cover of night, he entered the bustling town, identity shadowed by his red cape. The house Maria stayed in, brought on an unwelcome rush of memories and he hesitated, knuckles feebly rapping on the door. Five minutes later, he toured the town whilst the light of dawn revealed the reconstructed Fynn to him. Clinging to old sentiments, Firion did not find the hamlet welcoming anymore.

Although the women still fascinated him.

A thick arm slung around Firion's shoulders. "Is there something bothering you?" Guy asked, eyes solemn. "You are unnaturally quiet." He lightly punched his friend's stomach and the silver haired man doubled over, eyes wide. Taken aback, Guy regretted the punch and apologized. "Oh, sorry, you must be ill."

"I'm not," Firion rasped. "The crystal I put in the Pandemonium's throne room-"

Guy gasped. "What? You promised us you wouldn't go in there! What if Maria-"

"He moved it." Firion straightened up suddenly. "The Emperor, he came back and fiddled with Lady Cosmos' crystal. I need to restore it on the throne. It keeps Pandemonium from expanding."

Confused and understandably bewildered, Guy stepped back and regarded Firion curiously. "Slow down Firion, let's go back to the bar, you will be talking sense once you have a drink or two." His friend refused and shook his head fiercely. "You are not making sense, Emperor Mateus," Guy's throat itched, simply recalling the fiend's name rendered him dizzy, "is gone. We killed him remember? You, me Maria...staying in Palamecia is scrambling your brains, come back here."

Buckling his sword in a velvet sheath, Firion strapped his bow and quiver and unfolded his blood red cape from a small waist pack. He shook the faded, luxurious material and clasped it on his shoulders via two gold clips, hiding the long spear nestling comfortably alongside his bow. On his waist, two daggers jangled. He secured the small axe on a thigh holster and covered his silver hair with a beaded bandanna. "I'm leaving; give Maria my apologies and greetings." Firion tucked the rosebud in his tunic's lapel and joined the throngs of people jostling in the street. "I need to check Hell's Throne. My old wounds are aching, it has to be a sign right?

He disappeared, red cape melting along with the sun. Mind still trying to digest what happened, Guy stood on the sidewalk and gaped. He wanted to tear after Firion but over the years, his friend developed a peculiarity of disappearing and reappearing at odd times. Guy sighed and trudged towards Maria's blue roofed, double story house.

Time to get an earful.

* * *

Hell's Throne room.

The ugliest of destinations were often paved with well intentions. With Hwit flapping over cautiously by her side, Cosmos stepped on the navy and blue, alternating tiles and her soles burned uncontrollably. She did not grimace. Placing another foot on the agonizing ground, she elegantly stalked to the shimmering glass throne on the other side of the vast chamber. Little spikes of crystal erupted from the ground and despite the hideous conditions of the levels beneath her feet, the Hell's throne, in comparison, was rather beautiful.

Pandemonium's obtrusive heat vanished, replaced by a freezing cold. Cosmos' breath formed small clouds in the air and her blonde brow glittered with frost. The lower levels contained monsters, howling, ravaging each other and snarling, leaping at her from several purple decked rooms and meeting a horrible end. Agonized wails kept a constant companion and the warbled growls morphed into words she understood. The slaughtered, pleading for mercy, for compassion. Pleading for life anew. Here, Hwit disappeared, rattled by the voices leaking into his furry ears.

The throne room's welcoming silence appealed to her and by the middle of the chamber, she switched strides and marched to the east. To a short column of pulsing crystal. Cosmos heart beat increased erratically. Something was wrong, very wrong and she could feel it.

In her trembling hands and swaying gait.

On top of the purple veined column, she touched a pitch black oblong crystal. An electric ache shot from the tips of her fingers and she snatched her hand away, massaging the burn. Firion's crystal, tapered in one end and jagged at the other, lay covered by a lattice of darkness. The vivid rose pink leeched into the darkest ebony.

A pair of metallic boots echoed on the ground behind her and she whipped around. A figure, clad head to toe in dark armor, lit an orb of magic in his gloved palm. "Golbez." Cosmos stood tall, Cierr Harmonia ready at her side. "The entire Kingdom of Baron is looking for you," the goddess stated. "Your nephew and King Cecil are especially worried. It is best if you return home."

Beneath the helm covering every inch of his face, Golbez sweated copiously. The sphere of crackling magic soared out of his palm, punching Cosmos in the chest and sending her flying, crashing against the glass pedestal.

"I can't go home." His voice strangled out of his throat and he looked pleadingly at Cosmos. His hand tightened around her neck and he lifted her.

"I cannot go back."

_Save me._

* * *

**A/N:** Poor Golbez. Anyway, it's mango season here and mango iced tea tastes really good. Hope you all enjoy reading. Feedback and constructive criticism is always welcome


	7. Clipped Wings

**Clipped Wings**

The surrounding landscape of mountains and fertile green valleys did little to ease the uncertainty in Firion's chest. Ever since he discovered the bitter taste of defeat, he kept on expecting it, in spite of the ultimate victory over the Emperor. He did not understand _why_ he craved such a feeling, but maybe, the reminder kept him humble. Legs swishing through a plain of thigh high, thick grass, the warrior kept his eyes fixed on the blight of Palamecia. Once an impregnable castle, surrounded by mountains with thin, winding trails, Palamecia Castle was seized and from the bowels of mother earth, Mateus uncovered a monstrosity.

Pandemonium, better known as the Castle of HELL.

Another throb of pain shot through his stomach and Firion touched his sword hilt, comforted by the weapon. The sky, a shocking, cloudless blue, gave no indication of turmoil. Over the years, wild animals and monsters lived side by side in the untouched continent of Palamecia and such co-existence brought a smile to his face. A raven took flight, jet black wings briefly obscuring the sun and several other birds followed it. Some of the grazing animals cocked their ears and bounded away.

Overgrown by weeds and small berry shrubs, the Dreadnought refueling station lay in ruins. Firion hurried, propelled by instinct. More animals ran past, giving the dark skinned human a wide berth. Curiously, the monsters converged towards Pandemonium and he came to a dead halt when a shimmering manikin barred his way.

He paused and studied the light yellow figure, covered by a bulky armor. Hefting his spear, Firion scanned the landscape to see more manikins and monsters congregating near Pandemonium. The distorted tower rose to the sky and monsters attempted to scale it. Light brown eyes peered at the manikin in front of him and he lowered his weapon, confused.

Emperor Mateus hated him, so what was a manikin of Golbez doing here?

Fingers tightened around Cosmos' throat and her necklace added to the pain. Vision blurring, the goddess struggled for a while before letting go and observing the man underneath the armor. Her back hurt, a shoulder throbbed and near the doorway leading to Hell's throne, a bunch of manikins hesitated, shuffling inside, grumbling in low voices and dragging their feet out again.

Golbez's arms shook with effort and she reached for his helmet. Shaking her roughly, the armored man held her at arm's length and from his narrow eyepiece; he regarded the pitch black crystal.

Suddenly his hand opened and Cosmos crashed to the floor, her legs buckling beneath her. Mechanically, Golbez marched towards the purple veined column and grabbed the once, rose pink crystal.

As his huge hand inched towards it, Hwit blurred into view and sunk his bronze dagger in Golbez' upper arm. The man rotated, screamed and dove for the rapidly flapping moogle. Twirling out of his reach, Hwit lunged like lightning, his dagger sinking underneath the sternum. Roaring once again, Golbez pulled the tiny dagger with his thumb and forefinger and flung it, the blade missed Hwit's wings by a meter, grazed Cosmos' cheek and dug into the throne room walls.

A large section of Golbez's armor, from where the dagger stabbed him, eroded, revealing patches of dark skin. To his growing horror, the skin degraded and he looked at his upper arm, gawping at the clearly visible knots of muscle. Keeping a wary eye on the fluttering moogle, he turned his attention to Cosmos and his body started moving.

"_Stop_." The lady commanded and wiped the wound on her face. For a brief moment, the thunderous echo of Golbez's boots stopped and before he processed his doings, he was off again, this time thundering for Hwit.

The little moogle, with snow white fur and a head bauble, opened his eyes and Golbez rooted to his spot. Fear overwhelmed him. Where did he see those eyes again?

Tearing his gaze away from those terrible irises of burning gold, he swung for Cosmos, she ducked his initial swing and he grabbed her hair. The goddess flitted like a butterfly and a brilliant flash of light announced the presence of her scythe.

_No._ Golbez struggled.

_Please no._

Cosmos did not attack. Golbez swung for her wildly and she merely parried his attacks with the blunt edge of her scythe. The stab in his chest stopped expanding and Hwit busied himself with keeping the monsters and other manikins at bay. The goddess teleported from one place to the other and each time she materialized, the room swung uncontrollably around her. The corrupted crystal snared her attention like a terrible magnet and she knew it was responsible for her current state. Cierr Harmonia banged against the throne room walls. No luck breaking through. Staring at the hole created by the bronze dagger, Cosmos swung at it vengefully, the wall cracked, curses ghosted past her ears, but it refused to yield.

A heavy blow caught her under her ribs and she sailed sideways, desperately trying to regain her footing. Cosmos put her hands out and a crackling orb of malicious magic broke her wrist. She collided, head first, against a wall and crumpled to a panting heap on the floor.

Golbez's armored form loomed over her.

"You do not wish to do this, so why?" Cosmos croaked, her grasp on Cierr Harmonia feeble. She could not lift the scythe, much less swing it. Hwit disappeared, perhaps exhausted by his endeavors, she might never know. Pandemonium sapped her but defiance still brightened her eyes.

_I cannot...stop myself_.

Two arms wrapped around Cosmos' slender neck. Her pulse raced and he squeezed. She did not offer resistance but merely stared at him, her gaze all knowing.

Forgiving.

An arrow speared in his armpit, one of the few unarmored places. A second one dug deep into the exposed muscle on his left arm. A third one clanged off his helm and another struck the back of his knee. Pain shot up his thigh and letting the enfeebled goddess go, Golbez spun around, only to have a silver axe-head gouging into his protected face.

Opposite him, Firion recalled his axe and launched a gleaming spear. The weapon soared and Golbez twisted before it dug in his chest. Stalking inside with his cape flaring behind him, the silver haired man nocked another arrow and waited.

"What is the meaning of this?!" he demanded, questioning eyes flicking back and forth. Firion craned his neck and missed the presence of his crystal. "Did you take it?" he asked and pulled the drawstring further. Golbez panted beneath his suit of armor and unable to articulate any sounds either than groans of misery, he teleported to safety. The monsters skirting around the throne room entrance briefly hid whilst Firion approached. Unleashed from their fetters, they rushed inside, stampeding, howling and scratching the tiles. Their breaths escaped in a cloud of white vapor and they tore for the weakened goddess kneeling on all fours.

Two daggers speared into the first wave of monsters reaching for Cosmos. A hail of silver arrows followed behind, embedding themselves in eyes, chests and abdomens. Hefting a spear, Firion drew back and launched it; the weapon mowed through a column of lumbering enemies before one of the manikins caught it and flung it back. Unsheathing his sword and holding his axe, he quickly glanced at Cosmos before plunging into the shrieking groups.

Cosmos watched his silver head being swallowed by colorful manikins and hissing beasts alike.

Using Cierr Harmonia for support, she clambered to her feet; a crown of frost capped her hair and painted her lashes into white gold. Inhaling the frigid air deeply, she released the scythe in the air and pressed her palms together. "_I implore you death, to reap_," the goddess prayed and Cierr Harmonia obeyed; cutting through the field of monsters like they were stalks of wheat waiting to be harvested. Heads flew in the air, the weapon's body grew slick and sticky with blood. In the tangle of monster arms and manikin magic, a gloved, dark skinned arm shot out, grabbed Cierr Harmonia by its filthy hilt and sent it spinning across to complete its dance of death.

The goddess' mouth formed a perfect oval, her scythe could not be touched by human hands and yet...

Firion cleaned the weapon with his cape and knelt, offering the scythe. It winked into non-existence. "Lady Cosmos," he smiled and inclined his head, "You are still as beautiful as ever." The goddess laughed and the throne room floor cracked in several places, she offered him her hand and he kissed it gently. At this exchange, Hwit materialized in a whirl of dark wings and subjected Firion to his gold eyed scrutiny. "And this is?" The silver haired warrior rose and regarded the moogle curiously.

"Hwit." Cosmos grinned at the moogle. "Currently he poses as my travelling companion, although he is-"

"Quiet!" The moogle barked and the end of Firion's bandanna came loose, falling over his face. "Cosmos, the Crystal," he reminded her and she turned her face from him.

A spell of oppressive silence descended in Hell's throne room as Hwit dematerialized and Cosmos breathed heavily, the frost on her brow melted and glittering drops stood on her face.

"I placed the Crystal on the throne." Firion guided Cosmos to an elaborate chair of glass. "This is where Mateus sat...before we defeated him," he explained and pointed to the spikes of light blue crystal. "After I came back from the war between the worlds, I noticed Pandemonium became a lot bigger, it ate away at the countryside of Palamecia." The warrior trailed to the pedestal holding the corrupted crystal and touched it, swallowing a hiss of pain when an electric current shot through his fingertips. "So I thought of using your divine power and it worked. Pandemonium stopped expanding but recently, my stomach started to hurt," he gave a nervous laugh and the chuckles died at Cosmos' blank stare. "My Lady, why are you here? What is happening?"

The goddess did not know how to explain. Her fragmented memories stitched together, creating in imperfect picture. An imperfect history. "I died." She shook her head and frowned. No, she could not die. "I was severely weakened and ousted out of power. And because I cannot die, I came back with very little memory." Cosmos closed her eyes. "There is a war; the fallen warriors of Chaos are being resurrected against their will, in the underworld with two moons." Firion leaned against the throne room's light blue walls and tried to digest the information. "I am seeking my Crystals because they are concentrated fragments of my power. I need them to regain my true potential...however..." She laid a delicate hand on the pedestal and the column hissed maliciously, frying her hand and leaving ugly, raw burns behind. "As you can see, I am in a bit of a predicament."

Firion pushed himself off and unsheathed his dagger. "Please stand back, I will-"

"No." Cosmos stood firm. "You cannot remove the Crystal; doing so may nearly kill you."

The silver haired warrior simply smiled. "Anything for a Lady," he declared and faced the column.

When he wrestled the corrupted crystal from its pedestal, Firion's royal purple gloves melted, fusing with his dark skin. His hair, a gleaming silver, lost its shine and lay on his head in a sheet of limp white. The cape behind his back caught fire, leaving an imprint of his weapons on his tunic. Burns snaked up his forearms, reaching as far as his chest and neck. Stripes of angry, blistered red. A tiny silver of the column broke apart and speared into his eyeball, rendering it useless. Cradling the black crystal like a precious baby, he waited till the darkness leached out, in a whiff of fine smoke, and presented it to Cosmos.

She touched his burns, urging them to heal and beneath her cool fingertips, the raw agony subsided, leaving a painful ache behind. Cosmos placed a palm over his eye and it regenerated. Aware of the toll his healing exerted on her, Firion pulled away.

"I may not be able to help you with your hands." The goddess brushed her hands over his cloth fused skin and shook her head. "Your hair will go back to normal...I hope." She smiled sadly. In the span of several minutes, her warrior seemed to age a century. He examined his abnormal hands and shrugged.

"A small price to pay in the grand order of things," Firion admitted. "My Lady, what will you do now?"

The goddess forged, renewed purpose glittering in her blue irises.

"I shall free you from this place." She waved to the pulsing walls of Pandemonium's lower levels. "A tower like this should not exist. You are a bird with clipped wings and I shall take it as my binding duty to set you free."

The duo teleported to Pandemonium's foyer. Without wasting a breath, Cosmos regally strode out of the sin clad walls and Firion ran to catch up with her. Her bare feet brushed against the blood soaked blades of grass and the hem of her pristine white jacket, soiled into an off color crimson. Standing a good several meters away from the colossal Pandemonium threatening to blot the sun, Cosmos squinted at the pinnacle.

Exhausted, Firion tailed her and wondered how she would free him from such a place. With her protective crystal gone, he will need to be more vigilant of Palamecia. The rose crystal's power exerted a sedative influence on the monsters and the silver haired man scratched his limp hair, wincing when he sat on the grass with a thump. A severed beast claw leered at him, nails blackened with dirt. Lips twisting into a disgusted grimace, he speared the forearm and flung it out of sight.

Cosmos banged the ground with her scythe, her shock of hair rose slightly behind her, swimming in the air. A thin trail of light sneaked away from the end of Cierr Harmonia and journeyed around the perimeter of Pandemonium. Another light trail broke from the main branch and coursed opposite, creating a circle around the once castle. More blinding streaks broke from the circle and crossed over the tower courtyard, burning everything it came in contact with. Trails of fire left blackened scorches and inside Pandemonium, the screams of trapped monsters grew louder still.

* * *

"What is she doing?"

Ultimecia, beast hands clawed into fists, demanded and whirled to face Golbez, wearing a dented helmet. "You were supposed to get rid of her!" she hissed and glanced backwards, eyes narrowing when Exdeath joined their little party. The two hulking, armored brutes flanked her, emotions indistinguishable behind their helmeted face. "If Shinryu hears of the anomaly, he will take what little freedom we have left." The time witch impatiently tossed her head, twin irises glowering hatefully at Cosmos far below.

* * *

The goddess stirred and turned, above her and standing haughtily, were three warriors of Chaos. She studied each one of them intently and Hwit joined her, glaring balefully at the sorceress. "What do they want?" he demanded, voice slightly strained.

Taken aback by his hoarse tone, Cosmos asked, "Do they pose a threat?" Hwit nodded uncertainly. "Perhaps not now?" Another languid nod. "Then, they may bear witness when I plunge this tower back to where it belonged. Hwit, you too, stay," the goddess softly commanded and the moogle shook his head.

"I can't, I'm exhausted. My mind-" He broke off abruptly and vanished.

Back straight towards the spectators, she raised her arms and faced the sky. Wisps of sunlit clouds gathered overhead, speeding towards the east. Pandemonium shook and the ground trembled. Firion grasped the clumps of grass growing around him and his eyes widened. Meter by meter, the grotesque tower buried itself underground and the magic circle around it glowed an eye searing white and gold.

A chant floated in the air, equal parts beautiful and haunting. Unable to bear it, he clapped his palms over his ears and shut his eyes, refusing to look. The voice increased in intensity, Pandemonium resisted and chunks of masonry and crystal dislodged from the main body, crashing to the ground below.

A chorus of ghastly wails joined the song floating on wind.

Golbez trembled and teleported back to the safety of the arid plains. Ultimecia watched, biting her lips into a swollen mess and feeling extremely weary for reasons unknown. Uttering a small scoff, Exdeath vanished into the Void as a ring of golden fire consumed the jutting portion of Pandemonium and only a circle of scorched stone remained to mark the place of sin and terror.

Breathless, Cosmos spun around and exclaimed:

"I did it!" Firion smiled widely, head toppling on his chest and within seconds, he snored peacefully.

Walking to the circle of ebony and ash, Cosmos left little flowers to commemorate her victory. A sweet smell wafted on the countryside, carried by a favorable breeze whipping her hair. The goddess aimlessly sauntered till the sun cast a half orange glow in the sky and approached the still sleeping warrior. A rose bush grew around him, cocooning his body with a protective bramble of thorns.

Touching a bud, Cosmos teased a vivid rose into her palm and laid it near Firion's head. She looked back at the empty, fertile landscape and reached for the door into the Void.

The Void welcomed her with a velvety darkness and a large tree bearing fruit in the shape of planets. She marched inside, leaving little baubles of light in her wake and rotated to see the balls sprout small, silver leaves. Cupping a plant in her palms, she looked left and right and as if sensing her intentions, Hwit shimmered into the visible realm, eyes squeezed into slits.

"Look!" Cosmos beamed, her radiant face lighting up the dreary darkness. "I create effortlessly."

"You always have," Hwit grumbled and knocked the side of his head with a furry paw. "You have questions for me?"

She did not need to reply. Her grave irises gave the answer away.

"Cosmos...I am broken," he confessed. "The wars they have - _aack_!"

The rest of his words cut off when she smacked him to the side. Wings flapping frantically, Hwit smacked against the branches of the tree and came to a dizzying stop. He fisted his dagger, wondering which part of Cosmos caused her to attack but froze at the spectacle in front of him.

Another of _his_ minions tailed her into the Void. Normally this was downright impossible but Hwit witnessed a mere mortal touching Cierr Harmonia and...he shrugged.

And evaporated.

She could take care of this.

Holding his megalithic blade with both arms, Garland lowered his sword and surveyed the space around him.

He always hated the Void and Exdeath's obsession did not help in matters. However, the warrior grunted in satisfaction, Cosmos managed to bring light in the all-consuming space. No one knew he was here. He left his manikin army to march endlessly in the field pockmarked with craters. Perhaps in another lifetime they may reach the black metal throne. Or maybe like him, they will watch the two moons orbit each other, dancing endlessly amongst a ribbon of blood orange stars.

"May I help you?" the goddess asked, grip loose on her weapon. The fearsome warrior standing before her did not possess any hostile intentions, but determination shone from the eyelets in his iron helmet. "Please leave," she ordered politely and raised her scythe. "Or I shall forcibly remove you. None will stand in my way to end this senseless war once and for all."

_Senseless war_. Garland guffawed, voice scarred by millions of confrontations. People did not like to hear him speak, the complained of this gruffness.

"You laugh as if this is a joke." Cosmos' grip tightened on Cierr Harmonia. "I pity you, you cannot think for yourself can you, Garland?"

"You remembered my name?" he asked and raised the sword before lunging forward.

Parrying his overwhelmingly strong strike, Cosmos deflected the sword, spun around and slashed. The blade sliced through his armored neck and continued tearing through his jugular, nerves and spinal cord till his head separated from his body and he fell, his giant sword clanging melodiously to the ground.

"Of course." She brought her palms together and prayed. "You are an honorable warrior," Cosmos whispered.

* * *

**A/N:** Honorable Garland kicks the bucket. I hope every one enjoys this story, feedback is always appreciated


	8. Sea Foam

**Sea Foam**

The silver grey sky drizzled and fine water droplets beaded Cosmos' hair, instead of putting her hood up, she let the teardrops fall on her face, slide past the corners of her mouth and drip off her chin. Rain fell on a mound of earth, dampening the soil into a dark brown and gently touching the spider lilies bordering the unmarked grave, the goddess turned around and walked back into the void, her toes stained by earth.

When Garland fell, she gathered his pieces, wreathing them with stems of light. However, the light would not support him. Removing the bulky helmet, the lady briefly ogled the horns at either side and blinked at the person beneath the helm of steel. A lined face, pathologically pale and framed with stubble, remained peaceful in death.

Hoisting his body over her shoulder, Cosmos found a resting place for him in the fields of Cornelia.

**Here lays Garland, atoning for his sin.**

**An honorable warrior.**

His face reminded her of another one. A man with white hair holding a sword and shield. A...Warrior of Light? The goddess sighed and returned to the Void. She paid regular visits to the unmarked grave and over time, spider lilies sprung up, every strong breeze of wind sent the fragile petals flying across the grass studded fields in a stream of red.

* * *

_**One Week Later...**_

Cosmos' slender fingers wrapped around the door leading to the next warrior and ultimately, the next Crystal; she turned the knob, frowning delicately when the door refused to yield. Mystified, she knocked on the door, peeked in the keyhole, much to Hwit's amusement, and straightened. Grasping the ornate knob one more time, the blonde goddess pulled, the tree shed leaves of light and the armlet on her upper arm seemed to bite into her skin. Still the door did not give way.

"..." She pondered over the situation and Hwit perched on her shoulder. "I cannot go to the next world, I know it is not damaged so why?"

"Sleep." The moogle took to his wings and pressed his warm paws over her eyes. "And dream."

This time, Cosmos did not shatter her head on the ground. Instead, she sunk regally to the Void's floor; the malicious voices long smothered their complaints and dared not to approach the blighted realm. Her hair fell messily over her face as Hwit observed the surrounds for hostilities and eventually plopped on her outstretched palm.

A sudden urge to laugh uncontrollably seized him and he opened his tiny mouth and roared.

Inside the Void, a crack expanded, running along the length of the dominion. The creatures of ebony moved away, cowering at the new found terror. High pitched and low gurgling noises clashed but they screamed only one thing:

Planesgorger.

* * *

A blonde haired boy sat on the outskirts of Zanarkand, where land met sea. Legs, clad in a pair of asymmetrical pants, dipped in the cooling waves and he kicked, feeling the water swish around him.

Staring at the dark horizon, Tidus looked at the object he clutched protectively to his chest.

A dome of cobalt over a plate of silver. All fragile crystal. Was this one of his trophies? He wondered and held it up to the pink light filtering from a setting sun. Colors swirled on the surface of the ocean and he tilted the Crystal this way and that.

A Crystal from Cosmos. He remembered. But why was he holding it? Why was he here? Strange.

Yawning, Tidus remained on the pier, kicking his legs. He decided to stay there when the first stars came out before returning to his house and planning for the next tournament. When was that now again? Sweeping his head backwards, he squinted when a disturbance rippled the waves. Curious, he got up, still holding the Crystal securely, and shaded his eyes from waning sunlight. A figure waded through waist high water and alarmed, he back tracked, puffing his cheeks when a familiar individual swaggered into view.

Tattoo glistening from the water, Jecht pulled out of the sea and sat heavily near his son's soaked feet. "Whatcha doing?" Jecht asked roughly and laid his massive blade on the pier. Cautiously sitting with some space between his wayward father, Tidus examined the scarred man and looked away when their eyes met. "What you thinking about?" Jecht tried again, scarlet rimmed eyes falling on Cosmos' Crystal.

"Nothing," the boy listlessly answered and held the crystal protectively. "More importantly," he raised his chin, trying to assert some confidence in the face of his father, "where did _you_ come from? There is nothing but sea beyond this," Tidus exclaimed. The sun sunk, casting sinister shadows around his father and the temperature dropped, raising goosebumps along his skin. Behind him, Zanarkand shimmered with a thousand lights and the voices of people milling in the streets, reached his ears. Feeling uncomfortable, Tidus got up, tucked the crystal under his arm and retraced his steps; leaving wet footprints on the weather-beaten pier.

Watching him go, Jecht attempted to stall his son. "The Crystal," he gruffly stated, "give it to me!" The man rose and shivering in the night air, Tidus loped faster. Feet pounding an odd rhythm on the wooden boards. "The Crystal." Jecht grabbed his sword and rushed after the fleeing boy. "I want to see it!"

The teenager, face pale under the glow of lamp lights, stopped in a street full of people and risked a glance back. Oblivious to him, the crowd rushed on, swirling around like a school of fish. Barefoot and inappropriately attired for a chilly night, Jecht stalked him and Tidus ducked into a deserted alley, cursing under his breath. Muttering, he searched for an exit and when his father's dark shadow loomed on the dingy pathway, he scrambled up a pile of boxes and vaulted to another street. People seemed to drain away from the roads and Tidus ran on a narrow strip adjacent to the oily, black sea.

"Just give me the Crystal boy!" Jecht roared behind him and Tidus spun around, shaking his hand and head bewilderedly. He kicked a box and his father cleaved it in half, roaring monstrously.

Why isn't his sword materializing? Tidus panicked and tried again. Nothing. No Brotherhood in his grasp.

"I can't fight!" he eventually gasped aloud and Jecht paused to guffaw in laughter. Holding another box full of, Tidus actually did not want to know, he flung it at the laughing figure in the distance and _careered_.

"Of course you can't fight!" his father screeched. "Yer in a dream!"

A dream.

_Oh._

Suddenly the streets disappeared from beneath Tidus' sneakers, the round buildings and winking lights of Zanarkand churned around him. A vortex of water. The Crystal transformed into a blitzball and he held on to it, sinking underwater and watching the bubbles rise from his mouth and nose. A school of tiny, copper scaled fish darted away and his hair floated like a blonde jellyfish.

"Tidus!" Jecht's words reached him through a buffer of water. Startled, he collided against a lamp post and irritably rubbed the bump on his head. So he wanted the Crystal? The boy contemplated and rotated.

Let him have it!

He threw the two toned crystal like one of his Blitzballs and imagined a crowd's frenzied roar in his ears. It somersaulted, Jecht paused to catch it and instead, the fragile crystal crushed against his outstretched fingers and littered blue and silver glass in his hair and face.

A blinding seam tore open in the fabric of reality and father and son gaped at the goddess stepping out from the Void. She yawned, flicked tears from her eyes and smiled.

Relieved to have a familiar face, Tidus rushed to her and switched strides, pummeling into his father when Jecht's hand morphed into a gigantic whale fin and jerked to Cosmos' throat. Eyeing the ground for a pole, a weapon of sorts, he eventually shielded the lady, jaw clenching whilst he witnessed his father's transformation into Sin.

Jecht's arm bulged, tearing coffee brown skin and evolving into a flat fin. The man staggered backwards, blinking and mirroring the horror in his child's face. He jumped back, legs folding beneath him and landed, cracking the asphalt on a great, white underbelly. "Cosmos," Tidus' mouth became sandpaper dry, "we need to get out of here!" He darted to the pavement, kicked at a chain-link fence repeatedly and uprooted a flimsy piece of metal. "Why are you here?" he asked. "Never mind that, we need to get away from Sin." His voice tightened. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

"_The Crystal._" Sin Jecht bellowed and the sound shattered glass. "_Give it to me!_"

A moogle appeared right next to Cosmos and glared balefully at Sin. "Kill that _thing_." He pointed a furry paw and Tidus froze. "My eardrums are rupturing." Hwit shot off to the empty streets of Zanarkand and Cosmos looked at Tidus. He lowered his pole, unsure of what to do. Sensing his turbulent emotions, the goddess laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Must you really kill him?"

The boy stared at the roaring whale, carving a path of destruction towards the sea. Static cars flew out of its way, striking building faces and shattering lamps. Glass rained like glitter over Sin's back and Tidus swallowed nervously. Although Jecht was a monster, both literally and in a figurative sense, deep down Tidus knew his father loved him.

At least, once upon a time.

"Do you want to fight him?" Cosmos asked and taken aback, he stared at his sneakers. "You cannot fight, and thus, I shall help you." The blonde boy hopped impatiently from one foot to the other, face a jigsaw of flitting, conflicted feelings. "Somethings are never easy," the goddess bent to his level, "but if it makes you a better person, you must do it." She clasped his clammy, dirt streaked hands in her own and suddenly self-conscious, Tidus let the pole drop and grimaced at the stains beneath his fingernails. "What will it be warrior Tidus?" she asked, casting a golden, warm glow on the chilly night.

He cocked his head to the side. "Can't you tell me...what I should do?" Tidus wondered out loud.

Throughout his entire life, he marched forward, thinking what he did was right. He believed what he did was the best course of action. Now...

Now he did not know what to do.

Cosmos shook her head, her mess of light blonde hair spilling out of her hood. "You are no mere puppet, why must _I_ tell you what to do?" She straightened and gazed out to sea.

"But...you know what's going to happen," the boy argued. "So of course I should ask you for advice. He's my dad," he pointed to the inky sheet of water, "do you think I WANT to get rid of him?" The lady turned, eyes boring through his head, his heart and seeing the struggle laid bare. "...Sometimes I do," he confessed, "think of rising past him, getting rid of him...but not like_ this!_" Tidus cried. "I don't want to kill him permanently."

"Jecht is dead," Cosmos responded and he stepped back like she punched him. "And there is nothing you may do," she continued and slowly walked towards him, her hand outstretched. "The dead tell no tales, but he is alive, _here_." She lightly pressed her warm fingertips over his chest and he inhaled a lungful of air. Flicking a small pearl of water gathering at the edges of Tidus' eye, she waited for him to regain his composure.

Tidus scrubbed his eyes. "I'm not crying," he sniffed and looked at the black horizon, where ebony sky met charcoal water.

"No you are not," the goddess agreed and fell in step as he aggressively marched down the empty streets of the Dreamworld. She looked at her palms and felt strength humming in her veins. Closing her eyes, she attempted to locate the instigator of such a futile war but a backlash of static caused her to tumble over a discarded, rolling soda can. "I am alright," Cosmos assured when Tidus looked back. She smiled and her mouth turned into a grim slash as she inspected the sky.

* * *

His head hurt.

And what was she doing? Cajoling with that sun kissed brat in huts thatched with palm fronds?

Why was it so muggy and hot? How is Cosmos enduring this weather, wearing that jacket?

Her laughter rang like bells in the balmy air, but it did little to mitigate the splitting pain currently waging war in Hwit's head. The moogle tossed, glared deplorably at the bevy of scantily clad girls cooing at him from the beach and head bauble vibrating furiously, he dematerialized before giving Cosmos a piece of his mind.

* * *

Striding through one of the unfrequented trails on the Island of Besaid, the goddess carefully pushed large leaves away from her face and stepped over a tumble of roots jutting out of the earth. She bent to pick a flower and behind her, Tidus panted, shirt stuck to his body.

Smiling at the obviously exhausted teenager, she wreathed a bright red hibiscus in his blonde hair and strode off, effortlessly gliding across the wild pathway barely visible under a carpet of green foliage. Another potentially poisonous flower joined the crown in Tidus' hair and a leaf smacked his face. Apologizing, Cosmos folded the frond away and he trudged through, physically drained. Leaving Tidus to rest on a tree stump, the goddess stately marched deeper into the uninhabited parts of the island. She brushed her slender fingers across a Venus flytrap and laughed when it snapped shut on her.

"That thing is gonna digest your skin." The boy frowned and attempted to uproot the plant.

"No, do not do that," she chided. "Everything has a right to live." Prying the plant apart, Cosmos shook her hand free from the plant slime and the flytrap shrunk. She picked a white, star-shaped flower from one of the stems and showed it to him. "This is beautiful, you agree?" He nodded reluctantly and sighed when she pushed it into his hair. "A plant such as this," she pointed to the Venus flytrap, "births wonderful blossoms." Twittering, she waltzed to a thick coconut tree and stood on her tip toes, peeking into a crevice and sighing delightedly. Fearing for her fingers, Tidus marched to her just as she removed a grey feathered macaw chick and cradled the rather ugly bird in her palm. "Look!" Her eyes glittered.

'_It's half naked chick.'_

Tidus swallowed his words, feeling very sorry for her moogle companion. Cosmos' energy was unparalleled.

She stayed by the tree till the parents returned, bringing food for the chirping baby bird. By now, the sun travelled past the treetops and began its descent downwards. The noises in the tropical forest throbbed against Cosmos' ears and she winded through the ancient undergrowth, listening to the trees speak and occasionally stopping to peer at an obscure flower hidden by brambles. Trees receded and a clearing opened, she giggled daintily when Tidus exhaled in relief and flopped on a broad and uneven tree stump. He vigorously fanned himself and a flower dislodged from his hair, falling to the silver toned earth below.

"Come, we shall spar," the goddess announced and face hardening, Tidus jumped up. "Here, your weapon." She handed him a broad sword and he gaped.

"This isn't Brotherhood." Tidus experimentally twirled the sword and staggered. "Heavy!" The silver blade gouged into the ground and stayed there, refusing to move. "I think its Cloud's sword," he clarified, admiring the intricate fusion of several blades into one. "Mine is blue with a hook and a tassel at the end?" Tidus prompted when the lady's face blanked.

Cloud? Her eyebrows narrowed in concentration.

Another warrior?

Another Crystal...

Smiling blithely, she held out Brotherhood. "I apologize for the mistake. My memory is not clear." Cosmos explained and yet, when Tidus practiced with the weapon, he toppled over, swinging wildly and tripping over grass. "Is this sword not yours?" she asked confusedly but the boy nodded.

"It is," he grunted and lifted the blue blade. "I just need some practice with it," he said and staggered some more.

By dawn the next day, the goddess emerged from the forest, carrying an individual on her back. Opaque white mist choked the trees; dewdrops glimmered like diamonds on the grass and leaves. Careful not to snap a single branch or leaf, she appeared on the beachfront, bare feet stepping off cold, damp earth and pressing against sand. The outline of a nearby mountain pierced the frosty sky and predawn light illuminated solitary clouds. Gently depositing a sleeping Tidus on a deck chair, she strode to the sea, letting the waves tumble over her feet and soak her jacket hem. Her eyes skimmed past a canopy of palm trees and came to a rest on a spot on top of the mountain.

Deep in the dream sea of Zanarkand, a creature wrestled with itself. Tugging, pulling and screaming desperately for salvation. Blue irises combed down the distant mountain slopes, past the decorative huts of wood and mud and straw and to a child sleeping with his head crooked to one side. A couple of withered petals nestled in his hair. He too, struggled, wrestled and screeched for an understanding.

She clapped her palms over her ears.

Their cries were deafening.

Sin edged to the boulevard running near the sea, the road offered stunning views of the sun rising on top of the ocean. A giant fin soared out, trailing a curtain of water and smashed into the safety railing, denting it, breaking it. The road caved. Buildings shook.

And time trickled faster than sand through the hourglass.

* * *

**A/N:** The OST of Zanarkand is so soothing and sad, I listen to it often, it has a calming effect. The heat here is absolutely sizzling, whatever the Lord is frying out there, I hope its done because my brain is leaking through my ears. Anyway, enjoy the chapter people


	9. No more dreams

**No More Dreams**

The roadside barrier dented in a screech of metal, the rivets holding it together popped. Emerging from the sea with a tidal wave of water, Sin clambered on the bluffs and pieces broke, falling into the ocean with gigantic splashes. The grey whale heaved on asphalt, cracking roads beneath its bulk.

Several cars flipped over, bodies flattened into shiny pancakes. Sin continued roaming, using its great fins to uproot traffic lights, gouge through concrete and flip street signs, sending them whizzing across the air. It left a glistening trail of water and as the sun appeared from the blue-grey outline of distant mountains, the water evaporated.

The stench of seaweed and ocean spray infused Zanarkand; people melted, their forms replaced by Jecht's bandanna clad, shimmering manikins.

A burst of tropical bird call woke Tidus.

Sitting on the beach and getting soaked, Cosmos listened to the individual cries.

The twitters called for food, it warned of dangers and staked boundaries. Chicks demanded for their parents and their terrified screams echoed from leafy canopies as they dove for their first flight. Sunlight struck the surface of the sea, painting it to pale gold and deep cyan. The goddess rose, hem of her jacket dripping pearls of water; a crab, clicking scarlet pincers, scuttled past her and she walked on the damp beach, stopping to pick up a pastel pink seashell. Bleary eyeing the darkened surroundings, Tidus wiggled comfortably on the deck chair and closed his eyes to sleep. At once, the gritty surface of a shell pressed against his cheek and the smiling face of Cosmos filled his vision.

"Five more minutes..." the teenager mumbled and a dry petal flaked from his hair.

"No." She stood tall, her form outlined by the dawn rays. "We do not have time. Sin invites destruction as we speak."

Grumbling, the younger blonde rose to a seated position. "So he's already on the move..." Tidus held his arm out and after several tries; Brotherhood materialized. "But getting there...it's going to take time. I know he's coming here, he's coming after me," he stated and jumped up from the deck chair, working the stiffness out of his muscles.

"He desires the Crystal." Cosmos marched to the beach and he followed. "However I have reclaimed my power, Hwit was right." Her toes dug into the sand and the waves rushed in, sweeping white foam over the beach front.

Keeping well away from the freezing water, Tidus asked, "What's the moogle to you?" He passed a rock pool studded with clams and small pieces of emerald seaweed.

The goddess stopped and her scythe materialized into a blinding flash of light. She pressed it against the wet sand and spirals of light converged into a magic circle.

"He taught me all the things I know," Cosmos answered, her mind far away. "_Everything._" The circle blazed. "Although, now...he seems distant and different." Smiling, she beckoned to Tidus and he stepped into the glittering sigil. "Let us hold hands, teleporting through dreamland is very unpleasant."

Keeping a firm grip on Brotherhood, the boy nestled his hand into hers, surprised by how clammy and cold his fingers were compared to Cosmos. She squeezed reassuringly but the smile on her face dimmed in warmth and was replaced by burning conviction. Swallowing, Tidus screwed his eyes shut and his stomach did a little backflip. The space compressed, his ears popped and when he opened them again, the sad state of Zanarkand reflected in the glassy pools of his irises.

An empty food tin sailed on the stiff breeze and nailed him on the forehead. Irritably throwing it to the floor, he stared in dismay at the destruction left behind by Sin. In the distance, the great whale demolished a building, ploughing through it like a bulldozer. Kneeling on the ground, Cosmos scooped a pile of dirt and glass fragments in her hands and let them trickle through her fingers. She shook her head and fixed her stately blue eyes at the roaring Sin.

"I want to stop him," Tidus declared, pupils narrowed against the sunlight, somehow, a gut feeling told him Cosmos would not allow this. "You told me..." he broke off, "you inspired me to rise over his shadow. He's not my father anymore." He pointed a quivering index finger at the whale. "Now he's just a mind scrambled monster of destruction. He is Sin. Sin is going to destroy MY city and I'm having none of that!" Yelling, Tidus brandished Brotherhood in the air and tore after the slowly advancing whale. His overconfident shouts echoed off empty building faces and Cosmos watched his hair turn gold under the light of the sun. A car cannoned towards him and tottering on his feet, Tidus sliced it in half with Brotherhood. "Take that you lump of lard!" he screeched and continued careering.

Hwit bled into view, his wings limp. "Like father, like son," he muttered darkly. "Such braggarts." Turning to Cosmos he continued, "What will he do with that blue toothpick?" She remained standing, hood shading her expression. "Why did you incite him?"

A piece of jagged metal sliced her feet and the wound knitted immediately. "Dreams have feelings too," she said and the moogle snorted contemptuously. "It is no use telling you Hwit. You are unable to feel as you are."

He seized up, wings suddenly pulling taut. Glowering, he vanished and only the glimmering, after image of his soulless eyes remained behind.

Twirling her weapon, Cosmos launched from the ground, leaving two green saplings in her wake. She blurred past Tidus, who paused and sputtered indignantly and rocketed straight on Sin's head, crushing its flat skull beneath her feet. The monster emitted a high pitched squeal and the surrounding windows shattered. A traffic light above the goddess' head rained multicolored glass and she wiped a trickle of ichor oozing from her ear and staining her fair cheek. Pushing her wild shock of hair backwards, she raised Cierr Harmonia and bashed its blunt end on Sin's head. The whale flapped and rocked sideways, trying to dislodge the menace. A leathery tail lifted off the ground and speared into Cosmos. She gasped as silver stained the inside of her jacket. Sin lifted her and she kept a firm grasp on Cierr Harmonia. As the beast flung her to the outskirts of Zanarkand, the scythe fell and cut the tail into ribbons.

Tidus stopped running and dashed for Cosmos, flying through the sky like a shooting star. He held out his arms and before she crashed into them, the goddess landed on the ground and he stood there, feeling sheepish. "Why are you doing this?" he asked and pointed to the whale. "Sin can regenerate you know, cutting its tail isn't gonna..."

"I know." She clapped her hands and Cierr Harmonia returned. "However when Cierr Harmonia cut it, time stopped. The wounds will not regenerate." Tidus folded his arms over his chest, unhappy. "Tidus, I need you to keep the manikins occupied for me."

"What? But I thought you...this is not fair!" He stamped his sneaker on the ground. "I was supposed to fight Sin. I want to!" He balled his hands into fists. "This is my chance to bury all those terrible memories." The teenager grasped a fistful of his hair. "I need to forget them...and you! How can you do this to me?"

"Life is not fair Tidus," Cosmos declared, her voice grating unpleasantly against his ears. "You cannot defeat Sin. You cannot fight. You are in a dream." He staggered back, jaw clenched and accusing gaze drilling holes in the goddess. "I shall appreciate your help, but despite your brave words, you do not have the heart to face your father." Tidus opened his mouth to argue and she cut him off. "Even if he is Sin."

Head hanging low, he begrudgingly summoned Brotherhood. The boy still fumed, blood roared in his ears at the unfairness of it all.

Cupping his sun kissed cheek, she smiled. "I apologize; but I did not deceive you. We both know what is in here." She pointed to her chest with her free hand. "Life is not fair," Cosmos repeated and her arms dropped. "People wept when one as young as you, sacrificed your life for others. And some of these people...are ungrateful. That is not fair is it?"

Frown easing into a half smile, Tidus shrugged. "I suppose," he muttered and the goddess turned, facing Sin. "One more question," he breathlessly added. "Am I gonna disappear after this?"

She did not give him an answer.

And Tidus marched off, smiling and Brotherhood raised high in revolt.

Crouching in the colossal monster's dented head, Cosmos touched the leathery skin. Wails thrummed in her head and deep between the masses of pyreflies condensing to form Sin, she glimpsed Jecht, hacking at the crystal manacles shackling his scarred ankles. He briefly looked up, wine red eyes narrowed in suspicion before lunging for the individual standing opposite him.

Who?

The man collapsed on the ground and swore. Spitting fire and curses. He got up, clawing the pitted earth and mechanically moved backwards, into a group of manikins. A bronze claw gifted him a sphere and curious, he looked into it.

_"Do it for him."_ A timeless voice echoed in his head. A terrible command.

A binding contract.

Inside the sphere, a small, dark skinned boy with a head of straw hair waved a stick around. He grew older, twisting through time and kicking Blitzballs into goals. Seeing him induced a wave of pride in Jecht.

_Mine.._.

This little bundle of flesh and drool was all his.

_"Do it for him."_ The voice echoed in Sin's core. _"Do it for the son who will never love you."_

Take the Crystal.

* * *

The resulting roar sent Cosmos sliding over the whale's spacious back and she tripped, falling backwards near the non-existent tail. Wiping a streamlet of sweat from her forehead, she considered its size.

Cutting it up will require too much effort. Casting death may not work, the millions of pyreflies making up Sin might not all be killed. With an almighty groan, the whale flapped its fins and rose into the sky and Tidus, battling the manikins on the ground, looked up in panic.

Jumping from the airborne whale, the goddess landed on the broken street. A pipe burst, hosing her with a shower of water and raining on the plants growing near her feet. "Are you alright?" the boy asked and decapitated a manikin without looking. "You can handle Sin...right?"

Bahamut rose behind the goddess; a contrasting jet black to her pearly white. Blinking at the menacing dragon and remembering his fair share of meeting Bahamut in battle, Tidus shifted away, blanching when a second dragon towered over Cosmos. Both of them lowered their spike covered necks and rubbed their horned heads against her cheek.

"Okay...you are covered; I'll just be there and contribute as your lackey." Tidus grinned and hopped off when one of the dragons turned to him. Its onyx eyes bored into his soul, much like Cosmos', and he fled.

The dragons stamped the earth impatiently, growling at Sin flying high above them. Webbed wings of tough silk beat the air and they rose, careful not to whip their summoner with a wayward tail.

"Fly." Cosmos commanded and directed them with her hand. "And put an end to Sin's misery."

She raised her arms, clenching her fingers and obeying, Bahamut shot off, stirring mini tornadoes as they rose. On the ground the goddess observed them circling Sin. They struggled against its gravitational pull and constantly flew in a circle. Their mouths opened and twin Megaflares streaked across the sky, brighter than the blinding sun.

Sin degraded and the twin Bahamut vanished, but not before asserting their aerial supremacy with a series of defiant growls. Footsteps echoed behind Cosmos and instead of facing her warrior, she stood with her hands folded at her chest whilst Zanarkand evaporated. Squares of colored matter broke off, dissolving the dream city and spiraling to a crack in the sky. The fissure will spread across, revealing the Void and so she walked whilst the dream city degraded around her.

"Lady Cosmos," Tidus softly called and she stopped. The goddess rotated to see half of the smiling boy streaming upwards. "Take this," he pressed a pastel pink shell into her palm and his hand degraded. "It's for remembering me by...I want to be remembered you know!" He laughed.

His laughter lingered in her ears long after she woke up.

The Void stretched, infinitely black no longer. In one corner of the vast nothingness, light bloomed and Hwit toyed with a pastel pink shell, throwing and catching it in a furry paw. Contemplatively circling the tree, Cosmos mentally reviewed the Crystals she obtained. Power and life thrummed at the tips of her fingers, the luminous balls of light she left behind now sprouted into tiny saplings, their leaves silver. They cast a glow in the dim Void and kept shadows from creeping closer to Cosmos. The shell fell from Hwit's careless tosses and instead of picking it up, he stared at it. The goddess walked and picked the seashell, she put it against her ear and closed her eyes.

"I can hear Zanarkand," she tenderly murmured.

Hwit rolled his eyes. "That's your ear's blood vessels," he huffed and flew around, agitated for reasons unknown. "So?" he barked. "Found the next Crystal yet?" He watched Cosmos walking around with the shell clamped to her ear, she ran her fingers over the patterns and marched towards the door. "_Cosmos_," the moogle warned. "We have no time for-" the door opened and shut after her with a bang, "-detours," Hwit finished flatly and smoldered. Alone in the Void with nothing but the screaming voices in his head for company, he reluctantly vanished.

* * *

Besaid tinged vivid pink, similar to the shell burrowed in her palm. Colors danced on the sea and beneath the water's surface, tropical fish swam in and out of brightly toned coral reefs. A couple of beachgoers eyed the figure standing on the beach. They muttered to themselves, feeling overwhelmingly underdressed next to the fair, tall woman. Moving in groups, the sun tanned guests shuffled away from her; taking their gossip and chatter with them, they receded in the huts' cool interior. Thankful for the measure of silence, broken by cries of wild birds, Cosmos searched for another shell, her hood whipped backwards and ocean spray dotted her face.

The goddess left the beach after the first stars emerged. Pale, like scars pockmarking the heavens.

Stalking away from the beach, Cosmos turned to the village, snuggled between rings of palm and weeping cherry trees. A mountain shielded the hamlet at the back and the thundering echo of a waterfall was heard for miles. Deserted streets, strewn with yellow and decaying leaves, often lead to dead ends and the villagers lived a simple life, nodding to the figure in white and gold striding towards the Temple. A modest building constructed out of lacquered wood, it spoke of power and ancient magic. Catching a whiff of sandalwood incense, Cosmos mounted the short flight of steps leading to the temple and ducked as she passed a red arch gate.

Warm candle light lit the interior and a single priestess knelt at the altar, her staff next to her. Sparsely furnished, the temple contained no elaborate statues and admiring the simplicity, Cosmos glided to a stop before the priestess and pressed her palms together, praying. Her mind tumbled, sweeping back to the barren plain she often glimpsed in the fallen warriors' minds. Eyebrows drawn together, she concentrated, forcing every inch of her power to show her the place.

A hissing sea of static buzzed in her ears and she held her breath. Whomever governed the land with two moons, they did not want her meddling in their affairs.

Resolve renewed, she pushed forward. The throne of black iron lay bare in front of her, so close she could touch its soul chilling surface. Tormented wails of the undead rose in her ears. _Begging_. Begging her to set them free. They lifted themselves, clutching her white jacket, tearing it into a dress and thereafter seizing her translucent, saffron scarf.

Her eyes opened when a sharp throb of pain shot across her skull. The priestess, who was at a loss for words, bowed politely. "Lady Cosmos," Yuna whispered. "What brings you here?"

Grasping Yuna's hands, the goddess gave her the pink shell. "This," she stated. "It was given to me by Tidus. It is the ultimate fruit of sacrifice." The priestess' breath caught in her throat and Cosmos smiled knowingly. "I want you to have it."

"...He...you met him?" Yuna asked and examined the shell, the bracelets on her arm reflecting orange firelight. "He gave this for me?"

Hesitating, the lady nodded. "Yes. He wanted to be remembered." Whilst Yuna held the shell in her hands and recalled the journey with Tidus and her friends, Cosmos walked past her, she placed a red hibiscus flower on the altar and when the priestess turned to talk, she found no one.

A breeze gusted through the temple's open doors and candle light flickered. The hibiscus waved fragile petals in the breeze and swept out of the opposite window.

* * *

Ruin and decay.

Once the tower thrummed with life. It belonged to an empire long destroyed for its futile efforts to create a superior race. Now the empire lived between the musty pages of history books where very few laid eyes on.

The tower, reflecting Cosmos' reflection in tubes of Plexiglas, whirred tinnily and despite the apparent ruin, she materialized Cierr Harmonia and angrily clubbed the tubes. Jagged pieces of supposed shatterproof glass rained at her feet and gritting her teeth, she dented the metal ends, rendering them useless for eons to come. The scythe tip plunged into a bank of equipment and she swiped the blade across, tearing the electrical wires like she gutted a monster. A leather-bound journal caught her eyes and without sparing it a proper glance, Cosmos slammed her hand on it and it burst into flames.

Pushing her hair back, she climbed the top towers where the hum of machinery grew louder in her ears. Ignoring the black-hole like presence near the top of the tower, the goddess stepped into a long, rectangular room of dirt encrusted walls and surprisingly functional screen type things. Cameras swiveled towards her and she remembered the lenses from Balamb Garden. Her feet passed over a clean floor and she stopped at the first tube filled with light yellow liquid. An amniotic fluid. Looking at the sorry creature floating in a fetal position, Cosmos shattered the glass and gently cradled the slime coated individual to her chest.

Dead.

She laid the Halfling on the floor and observed the others floating listlessly.

All dead.

Inhaling deeply, she torpedoed across the room, slashing everything in her sight. Her breath came in gasps of fury and her hair stood on end. The screens, displaying data and charts she could care less about, erupted in a flurry of hissing flames and singed her jacket sleeves. Twelve naked creatures lay in mixture of yellow water, glass fragments, bits of plaster and hissing electrical wires. Whirling around, Cosmos marched to the exit and a figure materialized in front of her.

Taking in the destruction of his semi-functioning laboratory, Kefka grinned, his lipsticked smile inching wider than possible. "If it isn't Cosmos," he jeered and spread his arms, "the powerless goddess without a memory!"

She stood tall, head raised. "If it isn't Kefka," she mirrored his sneering tone. "A lowborn jester pretending to be a God." Cierr Harmonia flashed dangerously. "You believe you can create?" She hefted the scythe and pointed it at his chest.

Kefka's blood roared. Who did she think she was?! Cackling maliciously, he teleported to one of the dead experiments and hefted one by the hair, snickering louder when Cosmos' eyes brimmed with horror.

"Someone told me you call yourself the goddess of death." He flung the Halfling, watching it tumble across the floor and towards Cosmos clutching her scythe. Her knuckles stood out, white. "Let's see if you live up to your name."

* * *

**A/N:** Kefka...crazy clown. He was a pleasure to write, being a psychopath and all. Hope you all enjoyed this story and some feedback would be nice, honestly.


	10. Messenger of catastrophe

**Messenger of Catastrophe**

Weeks passed and the dreary landscape of the inter-world ceased to change. Most of the dark warriors sent to wreak havoc in their worlds were vanquished by a not-so-mysterious Cosmos. Of those who survived, namely Ultimecia and Golbez, one plotted venomously and the other, helmet dented, preferred to drift solo, occasionally muttering to himself. The hulking Golbez seemed to have lost the power of speech but Kuja _knew; _he paid a hefty price for trying to go against Shinryu's control. Garland went ahead, getting himself killed and the genome sighed, sitting aimlessly on a bed of softly glowing crystal and eyeing the blood orange stars.

"Why am I the only one unable to move?" Sephiroth, lying barely covered on a table, asked and Kuja stared at him listlessly. "The rest of you are given freedom of movement," the man's eyes flashed dangerously, "I'm the only one still strapped on this table." He tapped the crystal gurney with a long finger and craned his neck. Strands of silver hair framed his face and his cheekbones jutted, giving him the appearance of a hollowed ghost.

Keeping a hawk eyed watch on Garland's wayward manikin army, which marched endlessly to the iron throne sitting on the horizon, Exdeath turned, expression guarded at all times. Looking away, Kuja feigned disinterest, he stared at his nails...was that a _scratch_? And kept his army at bay. The masses of spectral, multicolored Kuja stopped chattering and instead, admired their reflections in the cliffs of crystal.

"Shinryu does not trust you," Exdeath tore his gaze away from Kuja and replied to Sephiroth, voice ricocheting in his armor. "You are a loose cannon, who knows what you will do if given free reign."

The genome snorted and leaned back in his chair. "None of us has 'free reign', Exdeath." He spread his arms melodramatically. "Our thoughts and our actions are all controlled by Shinryu." As if keeping a watch, the great bronze dragon soared over the little party and Kuja shivered when irises of burnished gold pierced him. An uncomfortable prickling sensation ran up his spine and he propped his chin in an open palm. "_See_? We have no freedom, no identity. Sephiroth can't do anything without Shinryu approving it, you better let him go."

The three stared at each other and Kuja rose, curling his fingers inwards into his palm. Sephiroth rocked into a seated position so fast, his neck cracked. Smiling, he pushed himself off the gurney and swayed on his feet. Exdeath observed the tall man sink into a basin shaped scoop of crystal and a leather trench coat morphed around his body, fitting him perfectly.

An impossibly long sword slid out of its sheath and satisfied with Masamune's bloodthirsty glint, Sephiroth carried the scabbard in a gloved palm, nodded to Kuja and tore open a portal.

He vanished, his jacket tails flapping fashionably in the wind.

"You better not have any funny ideas," Exdeath rumbled, disturbed by the genome's graceful smile. "You are a _coward_." Kuja turned to him, hair tinting to crimson. "You keep on betraying our cause because you are weak!" A tail grew out of the genome's backside and he irritably glared at it. "Traitor!" Exdeath hissed. "Shinryu should have immobilized you inside of the Cloud of Darkness." The genome grinned nastily, inhumane irises roaming over the armored warrior. "Where are you going?"

Instead of replying, Kuja threw his head back and cackled, the laughter ringing in desert air.

The halfling stared at her with glassy, lifeless irises. Closing them tenderly, she hefted the body closer to her and stroked the bedraggled clumps of hair. Amused by Cosmos' actions, Kefka kicked another body and it slid across the laboratory floor, bumping to a stop near the end of live wires. An electrical storm ensured, the body jerked erratically, eyes rolling in sockets before it became still, mouth open and tongue hanging out. The clown chuckled and shook his head, fingers spasming erratically, he sensed the goddess' gaze on him and hiccupped to a stop.

Wiping a mirthful tear, he flicked it away, smearing his blood red make-up on his cheek. "I never knew you were THIS soft!" He floated, legs twisting into pretzel shapes. "You know what happens to soft people?!" the clown asked, lips drawing downwards into a sad frown. "They go splat, like this!" A fireball exploded next to Cosmos, shattering a row of Plexiglas tubes and raining ragged fragments on burnt corpses. "This must be a joke, they are _dead__! _The _dead_ can do nothing. Haahahaaa!" Floating behind a tube, Kefka pulled funny faces and the curved glass distorted his reflection.

Turning her heel, the goddess marched to the end of the long, rectangular room. A hiss of electrical sparks sprayed her jacket as she gently placed the halfling on the floor.

"Mercy is for wimps!" Kefka screeched behind her and smirked. "I can't believe you; you are too compassionate, making such a fuss for a sub-human? Unheard of..." His high pitched voice suddenly plunged very low and vibrated. He touched the ground and appraised Cosmos like one of his specimens.

She held his gaze unflinchingly. "Yes I am compassionate," she concurred. "You have no love for what you create." Her eyes blazed angrily. "Therefore you can never _truly_ create," her tone echoed like brontide. "I am compassionate; I believe everything has a right to live but you..." Cierr Harmonia glowed like a supernova in her hands. "I shall reap you into dust and scatter your remains in space so they shall serve as a remainder for those who come after you."

Kefka backpedalled when she jumped at him and brought an arm to shield himself. The scythe blade tore through his jester outfit and scored long lines across his ribs, upper arm and shoulders. Quickly scrambling to safety, he grabbed a lifeless halfling from the floor and squeezed behind it. "Despicable!" Cosmos thundered and a fork of lightning jumped from her weapon, shattering the glass. The shrapnel notched cuts on Kefka's face and he shuddered, letting go of his shield.

"I know where your Crystal is!" he squeaked and threw his hands up in surrender. "I know the girl you gave it to." Cosmos paused. "You have no memory of them aaacckkk-STOP THAT!" Cierr Harmonia flew out of her hands and jammed to a stop beneath his bleached white chin. "_Please_," Kefka continued in a normal, albeit strained voice. "Her name is Terra; she's currently being hunted and lives in the Narshe Outskirts."

Hunted? The unasked question glittered in Cosmos' eyes and her head jerked upwards.

"You tell no lies," she acknowledged and swept her palm sideways. Freezing in terror, he gulped audibly, eyes wide. The scythe did not slash his jugular, but cut the space sideways. Fascinated, Kefka watched Cosmos walk into the void but before the fabric of reality stitched together, a moogle appeared at the goddess shoulder.

The duo glared at him with so much potent hatred, Kefka nearly bit his tongue off.

**Hahahahaaaa!**

The eerie tone of insane laughter echoed in her ears and Terra tossed on the ground. Frost and a damp mist wreathed the hollow. From the concealed entrance, the sun shone on the icy wastelands of Narshe Outskirts, transforming it into a blinding, treacherous plain of unbroken white. Groaning, her lips moved in an inaudible mumble and she tossed again, clawing the earth angrily.

**Hahahaa!**

The laughter came again and a face formed from the fog surrounding her. Terra clutched a slim sword, aiming it at the personification of her nightmares. The face leered at her, flitting from one expression to the other. Bright red lips, lips drenched in blood, grinned nastily and ran down the corners of Kefka's mouth. He wiggled his eyebrows, soared to the air and a pair of wings tore from the skin on his back, flecking scarlet everywhere. Long, gaudily tinted fingernails pointed to the ruins around her, half erected walls, creeping with moss and neglect, pitted with scars.

Screams.

Unearthly Esper howls as they growled and crowded around her, scratching, tearing off her skin.

**"Let me see!"** They wailed collectively and Terra tried to fight the tidal waves of hot bodies burying against her.**"Let us seeee!"** They screeched, high pitched whines throbbing in her ears, shattering rock and crumbling windows smudged with mud. The Espers pulled off her skin and she grasped for it, watching her human form unravel like an intricate tapestry. Her brethren viewed her disgustedly and marched away, leaving her alone with the wicked clown hovering above her like a messenger of catastrophe.

_Monster_.

A small squad of elite soldiers, wearing Magitek armor, tailed her with hissing guns. Their shouts echoed off the icy plain as they cornered and forced a tube into her mouth. Suddenly, Narshe Outskirts transformed. A tower filled with bits of machinery and banners of the dysfunctional, Gestahlian Empire, loomed before her and the eerie giggles filled the chambers.

**Hahahhhaaa!**

* * *

Gasping awake, Terra clawed her mouth for the tube. The glass container long disintegrated, cutting her tongue but the effects of the foul tasting liquid inside it, became permanent.

Looking at her arms in dismay, she sighed and crawled to a deeper recess of the cave where more young Espers curled up. Halflings like her. The poor creatures fled to the icy wastelands when they were discovered by the army and stayed there, falling into a comatose state. Patting the neon orange and powder blue figures, she hunted around for rations. Staring dismally at the single butter biscuit into her palm, she crushed it between a mixed set of saw-like and human teeth.

She emerged from the cave, her human eye accommodating the harsh brilliance of the plains whilst her Esper eye watered. Flicking the moisture away, she covered half of her face with a fur tipped claw and searched for straggling soldiers. High above, a blimp jugged a streak of black smoke in the cloudless, blue sky and wary of it, she stepped forward, her feet enveloped by snow. Shivering, Terra wrapped her hands around her slim body and trudged through the field. Barely a month ago, she lived in an apartment in the city, with a seemingly normal existence before the source of all her misery arrived. Grunting in frustration, she combed the treeless plains for predatory animals. An arctic fox, two golden eyes fixated on the fuchsia monster trampling through the snow, emitted a warning growl and fled. Terra stopped and eyed the bushes scornfully. Following the fox, a hare burst out of the snow laden undergrowth and her eyes zoomed in on it.

Snarling she lunged for the hare. Dinner. Lunch. _Whatever_, she needed to eat. Half floating, half stumbling, she speared the prey with a bolt of lightning from her Esper hand and nearly fell on it. Knees cushioned by a blanket of freezing snow, she lifted the limp, blood stained hare and shuddered. Her brain see-sawed.

_What have you done?_

Groaning, she lifted the hare, tried not to look at its glassy, lifeless irises and retraced her steps back to the damp, albeit warm cave. Should she wake those two young Espers? Terra thought as she loped. They were asleep before she came here and most possibly, for quite a long time. The snow burned her feet and she carried on, thoughts whirling in her head. The previous blimp flew much lower and she stopped for a second to track its flight patterns before continuing to trudge through the numbing snow.

"We found her." A man peered through a pair of binoculars. "Kefka will be pleased."

Her Esper instincts warned her of a danger from above whilst her human side wondered how best to skin the hare and cook it. Still wondering how she hunted the poor animal so carelessly. Callously. Terra only looked up when a faint boom resounded in her ears. A steaming missile cannoned into the ground, sending a spray of slush outwards and melting the snow. The air shimmered. Figures dropped from the too close blimp and she gutturally warned them to stay away. Instead, a net weighed by lead balls descended on her and dropping her hare, she attacked it with claws and teeth.

The soldiers formed a ring around the half Esper. "Ugly," the commander commented, waved the blimp away and trained a bronze accented gun at her. "Can't believe he wants_ this._" He kicked Terra with his boot and hissed in pain when she tore a leather chunk off. "A freaking monster, hey, where are the darts, we need to tranquilize-" The sentence never finished. He gurgled, blood bubbling in his mouth and Terra hissed, jumping off his chest and ploughing into the next trembling soldier. Terrified screams tore the air.

Unheard by anyone.

Knocking the last one out with a vicious club to the head, Terra shook her head and trembled. She swiped her bloodied claws on the snow and wiped the tears staining her furry cheek.

Another presence materialized behind her and she tensed.

Getting up rigidly, she spun around, her human leg throbbing under pressure and aimed for the neck. Her elongated claws hummed through the air and stopped short of tearing through a golden necklace. "Lady Cosmos?" Terra asked bewilderedly and lowered her arm, awkwardly shuffling away from the goddess. "Please don't look at me!" She covered herself, ashamed of her monstrous form. The lady strode towards her fearlessly and Terra screwed her eyes shut.

Warm fingers gently cleaned her cheeks, removing the clots of matted blood in the furry side of her face. Blushing furiously, Terra crossed her arms over her chest and regarded her naked abdomen. Inwardly melting, she kept her head down and Cosmos removed her jacket, resting the gold accented clothing on Terra's scarred shoulders. Grateful, she clutched the jacket like a lifeline and thanked the goddess profusely.

"Do you have my Crystal?" Cosmos asked and Hwit shimmered into view, eyeing her. She looked a bit too cold standing in the snow with a knee length halter dress. Shaking his head, he flapped around; stabbing the soldiers' corpses and watching them degrade into non-existence. "Is there something wrong Hwit? I sense no hostilities."

The moogle jerked upright, his bronze inlaid wings beating frantically. "You need your armor when vanquishing the clown," he curtly stated and pointed to the jacket Terra squeezed so protectively around her. "You will be foolish to war without it."

Already, the ends of Cosmos' untamed hair capped in frost, but to Terra, the goddess seemed to glow. "I am aware of that," she smiled and the moogle snorted, fading from view. Turning to the half esper, she continued. "And who did this to you? My noble Warrior?" The girl mumbled a reply and Cosmos cupped her cheek. The furry one. "Speak up, I cannot hear you. You should not stand for such tyranny."

Terra raised her head. "Kefka." Her voice rang clearly and Cosmos' benevolent features transformed into a stormy wrath. "He wanted me to come back," the girl spat, her fury compounded. "And I escaped his clutches and came here. But he kept on pestering me and last week...the soldiers forced a tube in my mouth and now I'm stuck in this permanent, half Esper form. I cannot transform fully and I can't turn back into a human. The people...the civilians and even the children," Terra broke off and inhaled deeply. "They are so afraid of me. I can't bear to look at what I've become anymore."

_I'm a monster._

The words hung between the two of them. Unsaid but clearly heard.

An orange-gold fire flickered in the cavern and the dancing shadows of four individuals lined the dark walls. The young halflings woke from a six month sleep and clambered over Cosmos, one human, the other a powder blue monster. She patted them, drew them both on her lap and they snuggled with her, giggling and talking in high pitched voices.

A cast iron pot, outside blackened into a rich ebony, hung over the fire contained in a ring of sparkling stones and the contents within it bubbled. An aroma of meat and herbs swamped the cave and wrinkling his nose, Hwit vanished, grumbling under his breath.

Looking at the spot he vacated without as much as a warning, Cosmos' eyes dipped. She longed to understand her companion. COMPREHEND him. However he closed like an obstinate clam and prying him apart may destroy him.

"Lady Cosmos," Terra ladled the stew into a bowl and tasted it, immediately reached for salt. "Why is Kefka back again?"

"The worlds are unbalanced," Cosmos replied with another glance at the empty spot. "Hwit told me..." _What did he tell her?_ "That the forces of Chaos are stirring again. They have been brought back by-"

"But we defeated Chaos!" the girl exclaimed and laid a hand over her heart. "Well...not all of us." She scratched her half blonde, half pink hair modestly. "The front line was held by The Warrior of Light, Cloud, Cecil and Firion...I_ think_… The rest of us worked in shifts to bring Chaos down, but we did. I suppose he resurrected again?"

Cosmos did not reply, she smiled reassuringly, her eyes lingering at the air where Hwit vanished.

Could he be...telling lies?

"_The Crystal Cosmos_," his words kept on reminding her in the empty space.

"The Crystal," the goddess echoed his words. "Do you have it Terra?" The girl nodded and got up; one of the toddlers ran after her as she hunted in a battered, olive green backpack. "Please, I need to have it to defeat Kefka. My powers have been taken away from me," Cosmos said and Terra's eyes widened in alarm and understanding. "And you, my Warriors, hold my remaining powers. It is selfish for me to ask, but I must have them."

An elongated oval of ruby crystal balanced in Terra's human hand. Streaks of midnight black swirled from one end, dripping into the red and creating a marbled effect. In the firelight, her mismatched eyes gleamed in admiration and she bowed, holding the artifact to Cosmos.

"Hold it with both hands," the goddess chided good-naturedly and the half esper shook her head, pointing to the dirt and blood encrusted under her beast claws. Watching, the children held their breath, cheeks pink from excitement. "You are not a monster." Cosmos brought Terra's hands together and held them in her own. "And I think you are beautiful, in whatever form you choose to be."

'_Beautiful?_ Terra's mind shorted. '_Who called a monster beautiful?'_

But when the smile reached Cosmos' startlingly blue eyes, Terra couldn't stop blinking away tears.

If only everyone saw her like this.

Saw her for what she was inside.

"Beautiful!" The boy toddler piped up and held a wilted flower in his chubby fingers. The girl bopped her head, shifting back to her powder blue Esper form and prancing around the goddess.

She placed the crystal in the lady's outstretched hands and rose to her full height, briefly touching the coarse fur starting from one half of her hairline and covering her left. "I want to fight with you," Terra stated, flames dancing in her irises. "I'm going with you to Kefka's Tower. There are more Espers there," she explained and the goddess nodded knowingly. "I want to free them...and then," her eyes rested on the children. "We can live without fear."

The fire roared brighter, throwing dancing shadows on the cave walls into sharp relief.

* * *

**A/N:** Terra's story and I wrote in as a story of acceptance. Hopefully this chapter will remind someone, or give courage to someone out there to accept themselves, whoever they are. (Getting all sentimental here). Anyway, happy reading and please review!

At Nonny: First let me thank you a million times for leaving a review, you don't know how much this means to me. May you get a lifetime supply of chocolate. The plot is credited to Bighead98, I'm just the writer but thanks. Cid...Hwit? hehehe, I like how you think ;)


	11. A shelter A warning

**A shelter. A warning.**

Narshe Outskirts: a barren field of ice boarded by a few straggly pines and strewn with frost covered, low growing shrubs, remained a distant memory as Cosmos trudged through the World of Ruin. Her companion, leaving the warm, damp cave with two young children behind, started the journey with fire flashing in veins. As they continued and passed through towns, the humans gawked at her, hissing threats and bolting to their homes. Buildings contained smokestacks and chugged steam, white, grey and black. The air painted bronze windowsills with soot, glasses were cleaned regularly and a metallic hum threaded the air.

Losing her earlier confidence in the onslaught of threats and swears, Terra meekly took to following Cosmos. The townspeople gave the marching, golden haired goddess a wide berth and looked upon her with awe. Redirecting their hypocritical gazes at the thing trailing in the goddess shadow, they silently hurled insults as Cosmos forged through, head held high, like a ship taming the storm.

"Hold your chin and head high." She instructed when Terra slunk past the last rows of dilapidated houses at the edge of the Town. Gap toothed children followed them, curious to see where the odd couple went. Some of them threw stones, others brandished sticks, wiping their filthy noses on tattered sleeves. Terra's heart went out to these children but they looked at her with so much hate and fear, her throat closed up. "You must be proud of who you are. You are my Warrior." The goddess stopped, soot blackened her soles and she lifted Terra's chin and eyed her squarely. "Why are you ashamed?"

Destruction paved the World of Ruin. Here, she remembered crossing with a band of her friends. Here, Terra recalled, she helped them escape, across stagnant pools and entire towns charred to the ground. "I'm not..." the half esper mumbled and scratched her furry arm. "I'm not ashamed," she replied. "The people have a reason to fear me Lady Cosmos," she explained and walked as the goddess whirled around. "I used to be a slave of the Gestahlian Empire and I killed a lot of people." Terra closed her eyes against the screams plaguing her sleep. The forlorn and resentment shining in lifeless eyes. "They see me as a monster capable of wreaking havoc and killing those they hold dear."

Building foundations, stone stumps rising from a carpet of black, slid past them as they walked. Broken glass flagged the roads, glinting like rainbow pebbles. Amidst the ruin, the goddess knelt and found beauty. Next to rotting wood beams, tiny saplings emerged, their fragile leaves standing tall for the sun. Two walls shielded a patch of blooming colors. Elegantly vaulting over the low barrier, Cosmos strode to the semi-dark corner of the intersecting walls and bent, eyes wide at the seedlings planted in metal bomb cases.

"Look." She pointed to the odd bits and pieces of machinery tumbled in the trough packed with dark soil. "They survive in this war torn land." She glanced around, searching for the person in charge of the nursery. After hunting around, Cosmos returned and picked one of the cases, holding a weedy daffodil. "Take this with you." She planted it in Terra's mismatched hand. "Let it remind you of yourself, be strong in adversity and be proud to grow from whatever circumstances befall you." The goddess tugged the edge of her ornamental necklace and tore the end. She shaped it into a flat gold coin and half buried it in the earth, by the missing pot plant. "I pray this person's heart may never harden with hardship," she murmured, palms pressed together. "I pray they find prosperity and happiness."

_Happiness..._

The words echoed from the dirt scoured walls as Terra followed Cosmos out. They filed past a stagnant pond, once teeming with life, now a dumping ground of toxic metals and old machinery. The half esper took a deep breath and coughed. She peered at the grey sky and her irises narrowed at a hovering blimp.

"Lady Cosmos…" She sped up to match the goddess' long strides. "We are being followed," she breathlessly informed and the lady stopped, pinning her fathomless gaze at the airship descending boldly. Standing tall, Terra clenched her fist and made up her mind. "I'm going after them," she said, bottle green eyes determined. "I'm tired of doing nothing and sitting around and feeling sorry for myself." The half human-esper loped as rope ladders descended from the airship and soldiers, wearing goggles and carrying steam powered guns rappelled down, fanning out in a formation.

Jumping, Terra somersaulted, landing on a soldier's chest and pulling their helmet off. The man faltered at her appearance and fainted, mouth frothing. The others aimed at her and let loose a hail of bullets. Guns hissed and steamed. A crossbow dislodged and a bronze arrowhead glinted past her. Catching the speeding projectile, she threw it and opened her palms, fire and ice blooming in her hands. Shouts rent the air; a cloud of dirty white vapor obscured the battle as frantic cries floated from the terrified soldiers. Standing roughly two meters away from them, Cosmos waited with Cierr Harmonia resting in her hands.

The sounds died. Terra emerged from the battle with a scar running down her human arm and Cosmos' jacket clasped in her beast claws. She stopped before the goddess and gave the article of clothing back.

"I'm proud of myself Lady Cosmos," the half esper whispered. "I'm going to embrace this..." she looked at herself uncertainly, flushing a bit and holding her head high. "Thank you for inspiring me."

Alone in his Tower, Kefka wheeled a pair of high resolution binoculars and toyed with them. The bare windows revealed wasteland, stretching as far as his eye could see. Near the eastern edge of the ruins, he squinted through the lens, a couple of people wearing suits dumped large barrels of greyish fluid into a dugout crammed with dysfunctional weapons. A pall of steam rose and joined the washed out tint of the sky. Cackling madly, he swung the mounted binoculars and flitted from one area to the other. When a pair of women, trailing their way from the north caught his eyes, Kefka sprung away from the lenses and threw his head back.

"Hahahaha!" he screeched. "They came, they REALLY _came_!" Fingers flexing erratically, he pirouetted back to the binoculars and peered carefully. His muscles spasmed in excitement when Cosmos, leading the march stopped and raised her head, fixing two glowering eyes at him. Gasping theatrically, the clown jerked back and threw himself in a battered armchair; he frowned, stroked the peeling leather and brooded.

His chest tightened. He found it difficult to swallow.

Difficult to even _breath_.

His Princess of Destruction marched next to the goddess. But his spies' description of Terra did not match with the girl currently walking next to Cosmos.

She was supposed to be afraid! Confused!

Cursing herself for becoming a monster.

Kefka brooded and peeked beneath his jester's outfit, at his bleached, white chest. WHY was he finding it so difficult to breath?

"It's called fear." Somehow, her voice resounded in his head and roaring, Kefka grabbed the binoculars and glued his eyes there. He calmed down eventually and his breathing eased.

Fear?

He was a god; what did he have to fear?

The Tower: an amalgamation of dirt, machine parts and jagged edges of metal, grew longer and longer as they approached. It sang maliciously and Cosmos felt Terra's agitation as they neared the twisted column of rubble. Platforms jutted from the main, grotesque body and ended in smaller tower turrets. Cosmos pointed to the metal capped, twisted shapes and the younger girl told her they could be accessed by an airship.

"We do not have one." Cosmos' brow creased and Hwit flashed into existence. She stared at his miniscule, beating wings and a plan unfolded in her mind.

"I'm not carrying you," the moogle huffed and craned his squat neck, gazing the at the tower with disgust screwing his face.

The goddess smiled indulgently. "Your current form handicaps you to such abilities." Hwit snorted and folded his arms over his chest. "Perhaps in your days of glory..." her smile grew wider and Terra inched away from the two. She sensed the moogle's boiling emotions as he fought them under his control. Eventually he sighed tiredly. "I suppose Bahamut shall be more than adequate." Hwit glared at Cosmos whilst she stood in an open patch of land and the glare softened. He clutched his head, shook it vigorously and perched on Terra's shoulder.

She tensed under him.

"I don't _bite_," Hwit snarled and launched off. "Tell her I'm tired." He jerked a furry white chin at Cosmos and vanished.

Quick summoning Bahamut did not work.

Puzzled, the goddess dragged the butt end of Cierr Harmonia across the ground, pushing debris out of the way and creating a circle. Fatigue no longer crept in her veins and anger replaced it. The war, who was in charge of it? Who resurrected madness in the likes of Kefka? The jester had little regard of life. Breathing deeply, she completed the magic circle and lifted her arms to the sky. Still no Bahamut.

"My lady is there something wrong?" Terra asked, her eyes resting on the perfectly constructed magic circle.

Forehead a map of confused lines, Cosmos muttered, "Bahamut, the war demi-god, is not responding to me."

"Oh no..." The half esper trailed off and closed her eyes, trying to sense disturbances.

"There is nothing wrong on this side," the goddess' voice became too soft, her whispers carried by a breeze. "Leviathan, why do you not come?" she asked no one in particular and twirled her scythe above her head, bringing it down on the ground. A crescent of pure white energy erupted from her blade and sliced the magic circle in half. Into two jagged scars. The weapon disappeared into a shower of light and Cosmos stood a little before the Tower entrance, surveying the other inlets. "It will take too long to traverse the entire Tower," she noted, "and I do not have time to entertain the jester." She moved next to Terra. "Come, we shall fly."

Terra awkwardly fumbled with her hands. "I can fly in my Esper form, but like this...my human side cannot keep up," she explained and gasped when Cosmos swept her up. "M- My lady what are you doing?" The half esper curled in the goddess steady arms.

"I am attempting to fly."

Cosmos bent her knees and rocketed off, leaving a sprinkling of fast growing saplings in her wake.

Terra forgot to scream.

She remained open mouthed as the goddess streaked past the first several floors and ploughed into the seventh floor basement. The jutting platform crumbled from beneath her feet and she elegantly twirled inside the dim interior. Feeling light headed, Terra supported herself against a pillar whilst Cosmos smiled. "That was fun," she said and clapped her hands delightedly. "We shall do it again."

Hwit materialized, his face an emotionless mask. "_Fun_?" he droned. "You cannot fly." Cosmos ignored him in favor of squinting at an alabaster statue depicting a prince wearing a ruffled collar. "You don't need to. You can teleport!" he exasperatedly stated and threw his dagger, spearing the stone prince in the eye. In seconds the alabaster crumbled and vanished from existence. _Eaten_ from reality.

"Yes, teleporting in here would have been much easier," Cosmos concurred and flitted to an imperial banner, the orange silk fraying in her fingers. "However there are numerous traps laid by him and thus, he shall be alerted to our presence inside." She looked up; the ceiling crawled with metal beams and rusted pipes. A thin dusting of copper covered her hood. "He is still up there, a black hole; glued to the magnification device and combing the World of Ruin for Terra and myself."

The half esper shuddered before remembering what she came for.

"We part ways here," she said and bowed generously to Cosmos whose eyebrows shot up. "My lady, you continue to Kefka...I don't want to face him." Terra's gaze strayed out the windows. "I am going to the factory and research facility, to rescue those who have been trapped in the giant test tubes."

"Testubes?"

Terra grinned despite the situation. For all of Cosmos' elegance and wisdom, all the technology and machinery confused her. "It's those long, cylindrical things made up of glass and covered with fluid." The girl explained. "They have humans or people like me inside." The goddess nodded, enlightenment dawning on her fair face. "I know how to open them and I'll do everything I can for all those trapped." The two stalked to the chamber exit, leaving dust motes to swirl in a ray of pale sunshine.

And without looking back, Cosmos trekked, the silver ichor in her veins turning to blazing hot gold.

"Where are they?!"

The clown gritted his teeth and swiveled the binoculars on its stand. Metal screws and rivets squeaked, protesting against the rough handling. Growing impatient, he let go and plastered his face against the windows. Coughing at the screen of dust, Kefka wiped the glass with his sleeve, striped with orange and blue and now dirt, and frowned. Behind him the binoculars tore off its hinges and slammed against the glass. "Eeekkk!" Palazzo shrieked and twirled backwards, biting his fingernails and shoulders drooping when he turned to Cosmos; her scythe hummed and vibrated, a testament to her wrath. The glass cracked, the heavy binoculars swung and fell through, turning into a pile of metal at the bottom. A loud boom echoed in his ears and Kefka threw his head back and laughed. "Destroyed! You destroyed it!" he screeched. "But no matter, the Princess of Destruction is here and I will…" he swooped out of the way when a blade flashed, nearly grazing his skin, "put a slave crown on her and make her mine! Hahahahahaa!"

Cierr Harmonia's downward moment stopped between his hands and stayed there. The crazy expressions on Kefka melted and fire bloomed between his palms, warping the scythe. It smoked, white metal dripped on the floor and folding the shaft handle in half, he tossed it back to Cosmos. The goddess sniffed at her mangled weapon.

And Kefka smirked victoriously. "What will you do now?" he taunted. "That weapon of yours is one of a kind, it cut me!" He exaggeratedly wept over a slice on his palm.

Clapping her hands together, she withdrew them slowly. "I name thee Cierr Harmonia." Her words echoed in the ruined chamber. "_Eternal Peace._"

The scythe spun, like a falling star and shielding his eyes from the blinding light, Kefka gulped. Ramming the scythe against the ground, Cosmos used it to propel herself forward and kick the clown in his chest. Bewildered, he flew to the back, smashing through several walls and coming to a painful stop against a slab of marble. Grunting, he picked himself up and instantly twisted away when the goddess pummeled into the marble, reducing it into blue veined fragments.

A cloud of dust obscured her and Kefka shot away, eager to put distance between him and...

Okay, maybe she lived up to her name as a Goddess of Death.

Her outline sharpened in the dust and his skin turned mauve.

Playtime was over.

Emerging with the taste of marble on her tongue, Cosmos leaped from the pile of rubble and twirled her scythe above her head. A sense of dread filled her chest and when the screen of dust settled, her eyes widened at the figure towering above her.

No longer bleached white, Kefka hovered on pairs of feathered and webbed wings, his skin a plum purple and a loincloth concealing his barely intact shreds of dignity. The wide, maniac smile stayed on his face and strands of hair hung around him, clinging to his scalp. Kefka pointed at her with a long finger and a fireball exploded in Cosmos' face.

She shook her head and jumped backwards, wiping the web of silver ichor netting her face. The smile on Kefka's face inched wider and they both turned when a noise echoed from the entrance.

Half human, half Esper Terra stood fearlessly, even in the face of her greatest nightmare. "Lady Cosmos," her voice did not vibrate, "I'm done rescuing them; please feel free to deal with him as you see fit."

Kefka's heart skipped a beat.

He could not move.

He could not breathe.

The goddess took her time. She circled around the frozen, floating ghost and grasped one of his batwings, bringing him down to the ground. Beneath her. Kefka's eyes peeled wider. Despite the time stop, his eyelids still blinked. Cosmos was impressed, a little bit. Few survived the time stop.

But no one lived to tell its tale.

The clown's lips moved slowly, she could not make out the words and she did not bother trying to understand him. He looked pitiful and Cosmos raised Cierr Harmonia above her head. "May you serve as a reminder to those who come after you," she chanted, her voice musical and her blade descended on Kefka, slicing him with rapid succession. His cut pieces did not float away, nor did they have time to ooze blood. The scythe diced mercilessly and when time flowed again...

A pile of ashes heaped at Cosmos' feet.

* * *

The cave at Narshe Outskirts over flowed with Espers of all kinds. They talked, sat around the fire and jostled for space. Terra, fully human raised her voice, imploring for silence and the small children hung around her neck, eyeing the delicious stew bubbling in a large, cast iron pot. The fire flickering in the hearth illuminated anticipated faces, the Espers licked their lips, sat forward eagerly and their dancing shadows painted a story of warmth and happiness.

"Where's that other lady?" the girl halfling piped. "The one with gold hair and white jacket?"

* * *

In the void, Cosmos tugged the door handle to her next destination.

The knob burned her hands.

* * *

**A/N:** Much thanks to everyone who read and reviewed, here's some virtual mango jelly for y'all, unless you prefer something else, like cake. Hope the chapter was an enjoyable read.

At Nonny: I chose Hwit's name based both on his characteristics and mentality and yeah, I'm a sucker for old timey English words. Light is not good indeed…heh, I like those words. Wise words. And a lot of gods in games and lore tend to be passive. Given the idea, I tried to make Cosmos stick her fingers in everything, so the story is mostly limited to her POV. Celes, Sabin, Locke? I don't know who they are, I've never played any FF games (unless you count Crisis Core and Revenant Wings)

At Xman797: Thank you for your kind review. I have never played any of the FF games, therefore my characterization is flawed. The only exposure I had was Dissidia and reading up on the characters. That said, I tried portraying them in a different light. Yes Kefka is a nihilist, but won't he be a tiny bit afraid to have been reduced to absolutely nothing? Maybe, maybe not, your review gave me some food for thought.


	12. Bridge between God and Human

**Bridge Between God And Human**

...How strange.

Pulling her hand away from the searing doorknob, Cosmos examined her burnt palm. Next to her, Hwit flitted uneasily; he examined the doorknob, touched it with his paw and retracted it, hissing angrily. Wiping seared skin on her gold accented jacket, she tried again, this time wrenching the ornate handle with both hands and tugging it furiously. The door set into the tree bearing planetary fruits refused to yield and the moogle, who normally coughed up answers to Cosmos' questions, seemed at a loss for words.

"We are barred from that world," the goddess concluded and stepped back, blue irises fixed on the door, seeing past a barrier to a continent strife with war and deceit.

"What?" Hwit asked irascibly and toyed with his dagger. Normally composed, the moogle grew increasingly irritable day by day and often did inexplicable things. He stabbed the door with his bronze dagger and motioned for it with bronze claws.

Cosmos stared at her companion. "I implore you to not do that," she pointed to the door. "I do not want the tree to disappear Hwit. You dagger eats reality." The moogle snorted to himself, hid his miniscule knife and plopped on her shoulder. "The Astrals are not letting me in, there is trouble brewing in Eos and they are keeping intruders out. Their power is potent; I now understand why they do not answer to me."

Hwit launched to his wings and they whirled around him, black and bronze. "What?" he questioned again. "_Astrals_?" He opened his eyes and stared at Cosmos fully, but failed to understand anything. "Is this related to the non-appearance of that war dragon?"

The goddess nodded. "Yes, it is related to them." She moved away from the silver tree and its leaves of light. Saplings grew behind her and the Void's chattering, once a constant nuisance, now echoed like a ghostly whisper. Marching tirelessly, Cosmos only stopped when the gigantic tree, born from her blood and roots from her hair, became a small speck in the vast darkness. Days passed, no, months passed, no...

Time did not exist in the void.

Cierr Harmonia danced around her, flicking the air with streams of light. She cut her palm; three droplets of silver ichor stained the ebony ground and the scythe disappeared. The blood on the ground bubbled and spread in a circle, the other three joined it till a colossal sheet of silver spanned beneath her feet. The edges of the sheet curved to form a dome, a sphere.

Land appeared, small masses of earth and islands converging to continents. Cosmos raised her hands and clouds covered the planet, raining, thundering and storming. The clouds parted to reveal a temperate, mild climate and two continents blessed by plenty. One, arid, transformed into a snow field due to magic and the greed of humans.

She brushed her hands over Eos, watching the planet from all sides. Flitting next to her, Hwit regarded the planet warily. "You create fast," he testily added and his wings flapped into a blur. "Where are you going?" Pointing to a tiny, barely seen speck in the mild continent, Cosmos enlarged it and the planet disappeared in favor for roads beneath her feet. She laughed and unable to materialize any longer, Hwit vanished.

The streets felt smooth and cold under her bare feet. Blue green water sloshed into a canal next to her and bridges of stone curved over them. Large flat boats, gondolas, bore passengers and drifted lazily. Chatter filled the dry passages, tall buildings, painted in pastel colors erupted next to her and immediately filled with laughter of families and children. Cosmos smiled. Columns of basalt pushed from beneath the ground and in the distance, stone winged angels formed from nothing. The rushing tide of numerous waterfalls filled her ears and the grey domes of distant cathedrals emerged from a mist. Bells rung, their melodious cacophony overriding the hissing and spitting of the void shadows. The island towns expanded, bridged by an intricate network of canals and separated by flat plains of glittering, sapphire blue sea.

And in a street smelling of flower perfume and bustling with tourists and shoppers, Cosmos let her hands drop and pushed her hood away from her face. Immediately, one of the youths stared at her and blushed furiously when she smiled gracefully at him. She strode to him and heart hammering out of his chest; he tried to tidy himself, smoothing his dark t-shirt and hitching his jeans. "May you please tell me what this city is known as?" she asked pleasantly and beamed.

"Uh...Altissia...City." The youth breathed, wondering where she came from. A few seconds ago she wasn't there. Who cares? There was a goddess of beauty standing right in front of him! "I can show you around if you like," he added quickly when she looked around, her bright blue eyes filled in a dreamy wonderment.

She clasped his hands and his heart nearly exploded. "I thank thee, you possess a benevolent heart," she said and looked at an apple stall. Bewildered by her speech but too elated to point it out, he pointed to numerous areas of interest and Cosmos dragged him away.

The passing people threw them wide smiles.

* * *

Elsewhere, early morning sunlight threw dappled shadows on the water. Sitting on a stone pier, an individual trained predatory eyes on the water, a state of the art fishing pole clasped between his hands. "Noct...What are you doing?" Ignis, pushing up his glasses, asked the prince hunched over a fishing pool.

"I'm fishing," Noctis replied.

"I can see that," the retainer exasperatedly stated. "What are you doing here, you should be preparing." The prince ignored him and leaned forward. "Where is Prompto?"

At this, Noctis whipped around, the rod jostling in his hand. "He should be filming me catching my fish!" he exclaimed and frowned. "Where is he?" Ignis sighed whilst Noctis felt a tug on his line and immediately pulled back, reeling his fishing line in with gusto and a wide smile inching across his face. A moderately large fish arced in the air and the prince quickly swiped his phone out of his back pocket, capturing himself and his precious fish in one, quick fingered click.

"Marvelous." Ignis praised and clapped his hands when Noctis showed the perfect shot to him. "But we still don't know where Prompto is."

"Probably chasing some lady." Noctis picked up his fishing rod and yawned. "I'm going to take a nap before we get to the Altar...Or maybe..." He trailed off and Ignis blanched at his plotting expression.

"No playing games before we get to the altar." The caretaker took a stand and the people watched the two. "You are to meet Lady Luna this afternoon."

Noctis absentmindedly stared at a bouquet of tulips displayed in a florists window. Inhaling, he regained his composure and blinked. "It all depends if Leviathan will listen to her...No, they have to help us." The prince's expression hardened into determination and he swept into the hotel without a backwards glance.

Alone in the street, Ignis rubbed his temples. "I'll give Prompto a call," he muttered to his cellphone.

* * *

A broken stone circle, much like a crescent moon, framed the Altar of the Tidemother and trident staff clanging on the flights of steps leading to the raised bridge of stone, Lunafreya approached. Her dress swirled around her, swathes of white silk and smoky lace. The altar, deserted of people, became home to birds and the ravens watched the Oracle march fearlessly to Leviathan's shrine. She held her head high, confidence and exhaustion gleaming in her irises. Despite the threat of failure, Lunafreya swept across the bridges of basalt, climbed the steps without slowing down or breaking stride and stopped right on top.

A small speck between two large stone poles.

The vases were as usual, filled with lilac wisteria blowing in a slight sea breeze. Luna tasted salt on her lips. Clasping her trident in both hands, she paused for a moment to see Altissia spread like a map before her. Waterfalls, their surfaces white, crashed into the ocean below and the distant roars reached her ears. It sounded like thunder. The seawater constantly sprayed on the stone building facades and walls, leaving little pockmarks of white or eroding them altogether. When it rained, multiple ripples clashed in the sea, in the canals and numerous rivers and it reminded her of all the individuals, their lives intersecting, crossing and ebbing altogether. The blue grey water around the altar reflected her visage and gingerly, Lunafreya touched the deep circles ringing her eyes.

She breathed, her hands trembling; steadying them, she closed her eyes and angled her face to the rapidly clouding sky.

A disaster waiting to be unfolded.

Pushing fatigue and self-doubt to the back of her mind, the Oracle raised her staff. Suddenly, warmth flooded her veins and she stood tall, savoring the strength granted to her. Offering the gods prayers, she invoked the ancient summoning rites to call upon Leviathan: the Tidemother. The sea beast. Guardian of the Oceans.

Leviathan refused to appear. Not even a ripple announced the presence of fish.

Alarmed at the thought, Luna tried again. She held her staff and prayed with all her might. Pouring her heart, her soul, pleading with the guardian to aid Noctis in his quest. The surface of the sea swelled and she continued chanting breathlessly, the pleasant breeze galloped, morphing into a howling wind, a gale and eventually into a tempest. Her dress whipped around her legs, churning and her sleeves billowed with a mind of their own. Planting her boots firmly on the smooth slab of stone, Lunafreya bowed her head, her hair threatened to come undone from her elaborate braids and wisps of it sailed in the wind.

The surface of the water broke and Leviathan plunged for the pewter skies, spreading her accordion like fins and hissing. Water rained, whisked away by the wind before it could soak the Oracle thoroughly. Her brief moment of elation shattered when the sea serpent whipped its tail. Petrifying, she saw the glint of silver scales as the appendage swerved to her, bashing against the altar and cracking the small stones lanterns. Chunks of dark masonry flew to the skies and the wind vacuumed them, plunging into the water below. The silver blue serpent dove, skidded to the side and tore into the pole, through the giant vase of wisteria and retreated, shaking its head.

Purple petals drifted and the ravens took flight, cawing loudly. Their harsh cries split the air, louder than Leviathan and her hissing. The screams receded, swallowed by thundering cracks of splitting rock.

Carefully moving backwards amidst the broken stairs and hazardous stone fragments, Lunafreya watched the Hydrean thrash around. She tried to feel the source of its rage and pain and a deep throb of agony raced in her head. A pair of bronze wings? She could not tell. Jumping over a large blockade of stone, she stood very still when water rushed over the altar, soaking the hem of her dress and pooling in her boots. Around her the sea raged, the sun disappeared beneath a blanket of storm grey clouds and the once sapphire blue waters now roiled angrily, clashing against stone faces and threatening to fold everything within its tide.

The Oracle sensed another person...Noctis? No. Aeons of wrath and sorrow spilled from the individual and she slowly turned around, her grip treacherous on the water covered slab of stone.

Ardyn Izunia, magenta hair carelessly swept under his frayed top hat, sauntered over the broken steps, his jacket flaring dramatically behind him. Normally, her throat choked in fear each time she set eyes on the whimsical Chancellor of Niflheim, now, a disarming calmness swept across her and she stood her ground, unwavering under his amber gaze.

He took his time, dancing slowly across the rising water surface and hand jerking to his hat before the wind whisked it away from his head. Lunafreya felt a divine presence in the City, close, yet far. It settled on her like a comforting shroud of silk and she waited as Ardyn circled her from all sides.

Like a predator scanning prey.

He jumped back when a sword nearly pierced his leather boot. Looking up, his lips inched into a too wide grin at the sight of the prince and his entourage.

Or cronies as Ardyn liked to call them.

Upright despite the blinding wind and hail of water, Noctis rubbed his leg, smoldering at the chancellor circling Lunafreya like a shark. His eyes veered upwards, to Leviathan thrashing and destroying its altar. A large chunk of stone, part of a stairwell, flew towards the group and a couple of sword slashes demolished the debris. Grabbing his blade, he threw it, warped and skidded across the ground just as Ardyn held an ornamental dagger to the Oracle's chest.

"You are outnumbered," the prince stated and nodded at his friends. "Give up," he droned lowly, knuckles tightening against his sword hilt.

"Your options are very limited at the moment," Ardyn sang as Noctis narrowed his eyes. "You can either crawl back to your hotel, or watch your beloved fiancé die." The dagger inched towards the pale skin of Lunafreya's throat and she raised her head. "You won't be taming Leviathan today," as if on cue, thunder flashed overhead and the silver blue serpent hissed, its appendages tearing through another part of the destroyed altar. "Soon it will exhaust its energies and go back to sleep." The man grinned, showing off sharp teeth.

"Get away from Luna," Noctis backed away, searching for a suitable place to warp. If he timed correctly, he could catch Ardyn off guard from behind. A furious roar announced a tidal wave of water and he scattered with his group, taking up strategic places on floating debris, the remains of a once proud altar. From his vantage point, Noctis stared at the chancellor's back. The trench coat, fancy but threadbare due to use, mocked him and he had the creeping sensation that Ardyn could track all of their movements. Crouching low, he weighed his sword, confident. A warp strike will...

A gunshot echoed and curious, Noctis craned his neck. Below, Ardyn waved his dagger about and plunged it at Lunafreya.

No!

"You are awfully calm for someone staring at death in their face." Ardyn tipped the Oracle's chin upwards and forced her to look at him. When she did, no fear veiled her irises.

Lunafreya spoke, "You are not going to kill me today." Ardyn laughed, shoulders shaking and head tossed in disbelief. "Or perhaps I should say, you will not be able to kill me today. Me or Noctis or anyone else. Fortune shines upon us. The gods favor us."

The chancellor stopped chortling. Fortune? He raised an eyebrow and held her tighter, preventing her from moving. Raising the blade he grinned maniacally.

"I will show you what fortune is," He rasped

* * *

Munching on a juicy apple and reclining in the shade of a colorful awning, Cosmos scanned the skies whilst her overeager guide flitted between shops, asking for directions. He seemed to not have noticed the drastic change in weather. Most of the public scurried to their homes, heads bent against the wind. The water in the canals acted up, splashing against the sides and wetting the raised roads. Finishing the apple, she tossed it into the nearest waste basket and stood in the middle of the city as grey raindrops splattered on her face.

"It's raining, I think it's best to..." he trailed off when two large dogs, white and black, bounded down the roads almost as if they had a goal in mind. No owners chased after them and they stopped at a crossroads, sniffing the air. The black one turned a wolfish gaze at him and gulping, he shrunk when both the dogs barked and came running towards him. At the last second, they changed stride and gleefully jumped on Cosmos.

She rubbed their heads fondly as they barked, wagged their tails and growled pleasantly. "I have been waiting for you," she said and lowered, patting them fondly.

"You know them?" the youth asked and took a closer look. On second inspection, the dogs were rather handsome and beautiful.

"Yes. They are Umbra and Pryna, messengers between Gods, Astrals and the bridge, the Oracle." Umbra leapt around her impatiently, yapping and pulling her jacket. "They tell me the Oracle is in trouble and Leviathan is there."

He laughed and patted Pryna, who snapped at him. "You say some strange things." The two dogs growled, ears cocked. "I mean they're just dogs...cute ones though." He rose, brushed his jeans and whipped his head around. "Cosmos?"

The young man stood alone on the sidewalk, rain drizzling on his hair. No dogs barked, people rushed to find shelter and the warmth in his chest diffused, filling it with dread.

* * *

They arrived at a churning ocean.

Or what appeared to be one.

Broken stone floated, pushed by powerful currents. Leviathan raged in the back, spilling seawater and resting before continuing her whirlwind of destruction. Cosmos saw her Warrior, the young prince, wrestling with a myriad of emotions and confused, she blinked at the scene in front of her.

"So this is what happens when go frolicking in the City," Hwit snarked. "With a _mortal_," he added and the goddess clasped her hands at her chest.

"What happened here?" Cosmos asked and carefully alighted on a raised platform of stone. "The Altar is destroyed and surely Leviathan would not do this?" A tide swept over her and she pushed her clinging strands of wet hair away from her face.

"_What_ indeed." Hwit echoed and the two gazed at the foaming expanse of the sea. Cierr Harmonia spun in the goddess hands and her roaming gaze stopped at two fingers balancing precariously on a floating piece of stone. "What are you doing?"

"Teaching a lesson." Her voice hardened and she launched off, tearing through the air like a white gold rocket.

* * *

**A/N:** Lunafreya, the Oracle. She reminds me of the Oracle in Spider Riders, anyone ever watch that Anime? Anyway, please read and review, constructive criticism is always appreciated. Thanks to all the readers and hopefully you find the story enjoyable.

At Nonny: Hwit will do more than stabbing a tree, wait and see. As for research, I honestly did quite a lot, I mean there were moments when I was so frustrated because nothing made sense to me. And doing research for all of the games took me out, my brain was ready to explode, due to this, I changed some things, I suppose that reflects in my writing. But thanks for pointing it out, now I know better.

At Xman797: Oh dear, I had no idea Kefka was such nihilistic character. I enjoyed writing him as a crazy clown with an agenda but whoa, he's really crazy. As in insane. Heh, now I wonder if I totally butchered Ardyn's character...


	13. Astrals

**Astrals**

A curved blade hung between Lunafreya and death.

Blinking at his reflection on the scythe, Ardyn inhaled sharply, the mirror esque surface showed him an incident he did not want to see.

He back pedaled and swallowed thickly, regaining his composure and bowed low, sweeping his top hat off. Dark stains bled into his face and receded, Ardyn shivered, this woman...this _goddess_.

He failed in his mission.

A sword flew for the goddess, and without breaking eye contact with the treacherous chancellor, she raised her hand and caught the large blade between two fingers. Half a second later, Noctis warped, hanging on the sword handle limply. His eyes grew wide as he took in the situation in front of him and she let go. "I'm sorry...I didn't see you, I wouldn't," the prince tried to explain and failed, scratching his head awkwardly.

"Noctis, my Warrior." Cosmos turned and beamed at him. Feeling more awkward, he backed into his friends and resorted to glaring at Ardyn who crept away from the scythe. "And you are the Oracle," the goddess clasped Lunafreya's hands into hers and the latter smiled in relief. "I heard your pleas and I waited for the messengers. I pray you are alright." The Oracle curtsied politely. "Your health...Your life," Cosmos traced her finger across Lunafreya's palm and a shadow of sadness creased her brow. "What you do is remarkable, and now I shall ease your burden."

Seizing the chance, Ardyn started to back away when everyone gathered around the goddess. Where did she come from? His gaze settled on Lunafreya, smiling widely like she accomplished something spectacular despite the thrashing silver blue sea serpent in the background. The roar of tidal waves and cascade of crashing water dampened his thought process and he slowly stole away from the group.

Cierr Harmonia whirled around him.

...Well damn.

Spinning on her heel, Cosmos regarded the man, his threadbare jacket and gaudy top hat. His amber eyes shifted betraying calm anxiety and a ruthless confidence. The scythe held him at bay and when the distant hisses of an enraged Leviathan reached her ears, she strode to Ardyn. "Who is responsible for this war?" Cosmos demanded her eyes searching. His mind spun a story of a long, long life. Filled with broken promises, shoulders burdened by a fate worse than death and a glimmer of revenge. Hatred seeped into his core. A lost case. "_Who_ instigated this war?" she repeated, her tone melodious, persuasive. Holding his gaze, she probed, turning each thread of memory till the recollections showed him as a baby wrapped in white.

He smiled and failed at looking innocent.

"Did you find anything?" Ardyn wanted to laugh, but the goddess and her scythe did not look too friendly. Her face twisted and behind it, the mask of death surfaced. She let him go and whilst the prince and everyone in the broken Altar of the Tidemother glowered furiously, Ardyn took his leave, mock bowing and thanking no one in particular.

Brow furrowed, Cosmos contemplated, her eyes cast downwards. The blue-grey water reflected the hem of her gold accented jacket and a loud crack of thunder failed to shake her from her thoughts.

Warriors of Chaos rose to wreak havoc, those dead, came back to life and those who shook off the influence, were forcibly pulled back into the fold. "Cosmos," Noctis prompted and quickly pointed to Leviathan. "Stay here with Luna, I'll go and ask Leviathan to aid me in my cause." The prince waited for a reply and behind him a giggle broke out. Gritting his teeth, he attempted to call her again when Gladiolus boomed.

"Speak up; she can't hear your mumbling!"

At this, Cosmos head snapped and she smiled at them. "I heard...but I cannot let you do that." The prince narrowed his eyes and rubbed his leg, head whirring for an argument. But his tongue failed him. "Leviathan, Ramuh, Bahamut, Ifrit, Shiva, they are my responsibility as well, I need to question her why she and the others did not heed my call. And why they are currently refusing to help you in your cause." She banged the staff end of Cierr Harmonia on the ground and a powerful whirlwind swept all the water away from the stage. Jacket flaring behind her, Cosmos leapt from one broken piece of masonry to the other and thereafter teleported to the raging Astral.

The seas around Leviathan raged and frothed into white. Like foam. Water slapped against the nearby buildings, a stone angel fell, its flightless wings drowning beneath the hungry sea. Windows, unable to bear the pressure, shattered and the waters in the canals rose, threatening to spill over sidewalks and drown Altissia. Materializing on the serpents head, Cosmos grabbed one of the large appendages and shouted, "HALT!"

And Leviathan stopped, twisting to see the figure clad in gold and white standing regally on top of her serpentine head. "**Lady Cosmos,"** the Hydrean hissed gently, **"you are here?"**

"What shall stop me?" The goddess demanded and Leviathan coiled around, to better face Cosmos. "You and the others, refused to heed my call when I summoned you. And as I attempted to come here, the door rejected me." She hovered in front of the astral, stroking its glittering scales. "Why do you refuse to fight and help those who need you?" The goddess pointed to a huddle on the soaked slabs of stone. "They require your help and you are duty bound to-

"**Observe and make impartial decisions,**" Leviathan interjected and Hwit bled into view, regarding the serpent with new found admiration. **"My Lady, you seem to have forgotten the cardinal rule. I understand your memory is not what it seems, however, mortals always seek the easy way, it is our duty to guide, to teach and to test if they are worthy of the kindness and power we bestow on them."**

A god must always be impartial. An observer. Do not interfere. Let history run its course.

Inhaling deeply, the goddess brought a hand over her heart, her fingers tangled with her necklace. Yes...she forgot. The pleas of the damned moved her. Tugging her heartstrings like magnets. Grateful smiles and heartfelt gratitude filled her memory; one of sunshine and very little storms. She thought of those who will never re-appear, the likes of Tidus and Kefka...so misguided, her blood boiled and yet a lingering sadness bubbled in her veins each time she looked at the jester.

"Have you calmed Leviathan?" The serpent nodded, its great head glinting under the sun and showering Cosmos from head to toe. "Shall I be able to rely on you and the others in the near future?" Leviathan bowed regally, its fin spreading out like an accordion. Clasping her hands, the goddess smiled to the prince next to her. "Leviathan has decided to help you." Noctis nodded and articulated a low thanks. "As for the other one..." Cosmos held the princes' hands and he tensed, a faint trace of embarrassment on his cheeks. "He is yours to fight. I cannot pave the path for you, young warrior, there are somethings only you and those around you are bound to do."

The tide receded, water seeped through rocks, gliding away through cracks and back to the sea. Leviathan rumbled, the clouds parted to reveal slants of brilliant gold sunshine and she sunk into the sea, leaving her altar in ruins. Lunafreya, lamenting the destruction of the monument, walked around, her boots sloshing through little piles of water and her dress stuck to her legs. Whilst Prompto photographed and kept a running commentary and Noctis perched on a stone lantern, searching for colorful fish beneath the water's waves, she touched the gigantic stone vases and imagined the tender green stems of wisteria softening the stone look. A tall figure stood next to her and she looked at Cosmos.

"Do you know anything about the war, Oracle?" Lunafreya shook her head, her eyes lowered respectfully. "I see, I shall take my leave then, be safe, you and the others." The jacket hood covered the goddess' face and she raised her staff to slash reality. Before the fabric of space parted, a gentle pressure at her elbow stopped her.

"My Lady, it would be an utmost honor if you spent some more time with us," Lunafreya waited patiently as the goddess made up her mind, blinking owlishly, at last she smiled indulgently and the Oracle beamed. "A road trip sounds nice, have you ever taken one, Lady Cosmos?"

* * *

The car stood on the road, sleek and shiny and reflecting Cosmos' wide eyes and unruly shock of golden hair. Noctis slumped in the driver's seat whilst Prompto got in next to him, chattering a mile a minute and filling the rest with headaches. Sadly, Lunafreya vanished, citing she will visit the next Astral and try to persuade them to help the prince. Marveling at the 'car' the goddess brushed her fingers across its hood, touched the tail lights and opened the door, looking at the leather seats and seatbelts and a myriad of other things that made little sense to her. "You say this carries all of you and moves on its own?" Some of the boys nodded, one snapped a picture of her. "Ingenious..." she trailed off and examined the vehicle more thoroughly, looking at the gear stick and the dashboard. "And it takes you wherever you need, as long as you remember it to feed it with fuel?"

Materializing in a whirl of dark wings, Hwit eyed the shiny metal body critically. "You can teleport, I can fly," he scathed. "Why are you impressed with this?"

Noctis turned up the radio volume and a blast of music vibrated the windows. "We can listen to music," he deadpanned as Cosmos clapped her hands in delight and nodded. "Get in," he jerked his head to the seat and smiled. "We'll be leaving soon."

Indignant when Cosmos slipped in besides Ignis on the leather seats, Hwit's wings flapped faster, he opened his eyes.

_I can fly!_ The unsaid words lingered in the air and the car door slammed shut. Grumbling, he shot through the half opened window and whizzed to a stop before colliding with Gladiolus' tattooed arm. Settling on Ignis' shoulder and glaring at the windscreen, Hwit narrowed his eyes. What so good about this metal hunk anyway?

And Cosmos appeared entirely too happy to be sitting in it.

His head throbbed.

It ached.

A burst of pain snaked between his temples and he fought for control.

Two moons circled each other, he saw a manikin army marching.

Marching.

Marching for his throne.

Roaring, Shinryu took the skies, flaring his great webbed wings and descending on the wayward army.

Music pounding in her ears, Cosmos pressed her face against the glass and watch the countryside flash by. Deep stretches of whispering forest, interspersed by the occasional sprawl of buildings. The continent was beautiful, her zany smile dipped, even if demons ravaged it. Suddenly, the skin of her face cooled. In front, Noctis mumbled something about turning the air-con down as white mist bloomed on the goddess lap. With a muted pop of shattering ice, Shiva transpired on Cosmos' lap and grinned, her pale blue lips inching wider with each passing second.

"Cosmos, how good to see you my dearest!" The ice goddess twinkled and threw her arms around Cosmos who returned the gesture whole heartedly. Next to them, Ignis sputtered and the unmistakable click of a camera went off, amidst the drum beats and violins bleeding from the 'radio'. "I wanted to let you in, but old Ramuh didn't want to and Bahamut, the head prick, sided with him. At the Clowns Tower, you could have summoned me..." She smiled. "I would have come for you, you know that."

Despite the freezing cold, the goddess felt warm. Shiva's embrace, one full of loyalty and icy pride, reminded her of a time when the world was in order. When good and evil were in balance. One kept the other in check. As one could not exist without the other.

"While I am more than pleased to see you are still the same Shiva, do not do that," the goddess gently pushed a finger off her cheek. Shiva pouted and squeezed herself between the miniscule space between Cosmos and Ignis. "I am currently learning how a car operates," Cosmos announced proudly and the ice astral's lips quirked into an amused smile. "It is marvelous, look how fast it goes." Noctis pressed on the throttle and the car shot forward whilst Cosmos sighed dreamily. "It is all a blur, I can only see the smear of colors, this is how it appears from far above."

The car drove seamlessly, music and laughter swelled. Hwit could not take it anymore. The appearance of Cosmos' friend, the mischievous and destructive Shiva, did not bode well for him and the duo's talks and amiable chuckles tangled with the screams of the dying inside his ears. The music changed to something vulgar and Cosmos gasped, in front, the prince and his friend wrestled with the radio and the streams of nonsensical noise coming out of it, drove his headache into a crescendo.

"SHUT UP!"

The car screeched to a halt and Prompto dialed the music down. "_Quiet_!" The moogle hissed under his breath, glaring at Noctis with eyes of burnished gold. A dagger took shape in his bronze claws and he toyed with it.

The prince...if he could get rid of him, then there would be one less world to save. Ardyn Izunia, the moogle clicked his tongue impatiently, what a useless pawn. Lunging forward, he aimed to flick his dagger in the Noctis' bewildered face, however a rustle of fabric alerted him to Cosmos, she grabbed his wings and pulled him back whilst Shiva froze his claws.

A deathly silence pervaded the car, even the engine seemed to hold its breath. "We shall be leaving now," Cosmos' voice strangled out of her throat. "Hwit is not feeling well." The goddess got out of the car, parted the fabric of reality and disappeared in front of everyone's eyes.

"Well, she's gone so I don't have a reason to hang around." Shiva pinched Noctis' cheek, much to his chagrin and melted, leaving a faint whiff of ice around.

Prompto lowered his camera. "Do you think she'll be okay? I mean, that moogle looked pretty vicious you know?"

The prince stared at the empty landscape; he remembered being a neophyte in the war between worlds. The other warriors helped him along, nudging him in the right direction. Tearing his gaze away from where the goddess disappeared, Noctis urged the car back on the road. "Yeah, she'll be fine. That's a goddess we are talking about."

* * *

The two stood opposite each other. Beyond them, the tree with its leaves of light, cast a pearlescent glow on their grim faces. "What ails you?" the goddess asked, her blue eyes fighting for calm. "Your temperament worsens day by day, you are a far cry from the non-meddling entity I once knew you." Hwit remained silent, his pupils alternately shrinking and dilating as the fought the war in his head. "What happened to you Shinryu?"

"Do not refer to me by that name!" The moogle shouted, his voice assuming the cavernous roar of the bronze dragon. "I go by the name of Hwit, he...I'm not, him anymore." His vision melted, blurring and reforming into a plain pockmarked with craters and smoking pools of lava. Blood orange stars lined the perpetually dusky sky and no sun shone in the inter-world.

Here the Void started and ended. Here, the souls of the condemned gathered, damned for eternal agony. When the Cosmos was banished into the Void, powerless, stripped of her memory and hopefully her identity, Shinryu, drunk and corrupted from the power absorbed by the cycles, rose in revolt. The dragon hoped the Goddess of Death would wane in a place devoid of light and crawling with shadows. Unfortunately, the part of his conscious clinging to goodwill, separated in the form of a white furred moogle and journeyed, to help Cosmos restore the delicate balance. Hwit shot forward, a moment of clarity pervaded in his irises of burnished gold and he clasped Cosmos' hands in his bronze tipped claws. "Promise me one thing," he pressed.

The goddess turned her face, displeasure apparent in the curve of her eyebrows and tightly clenched jaw. "_I cannot._" She cut him off. "You cannot expect such doings from me...even if..." her voice wavered. "Even if you betrayed me."

Hwit flapped his wings impatiently. He ran out of time. "You understand _nothing_," he hissed. "This is important so promise me you shall do it."

"I shall understand if you explain, if you allow me to see. But you block me like a coward. You have lost your splendor." Cosmos' voice boiled like the sea, the shadows pulled into the vast corners of the void, afraid of her wrath. "You have lost all meaning to yourself. I try to understand, but you keep me in the dark. Have you lost all respect for me? Am I not capable anymore?"

The moogle withdraw his paws, stung. The silver tree's leaves shed, raining down five centimeters per second and carpeting the floor in shining ivory. "You owe me as your mentor," Hwit whispered, his tone hoarse. "Promise me you'll behead me the moment Shinryu takes over. I fight him every day, but his consciousness grows stronger and I'm failing to maintain my identity. Pretty soon you will find my dagger sticking out of your back."

She reared to her full height, towering over the conflicted Hwit. Her jacket blinded him, having collected five crystals, Cosmos nearly brimmed with power and brilliance. "If I find a dagger sticking out of my back...then so be it."

She spun on her heel and her shock of hair whirled around her, a curtain of gold. Tucking the wayward strands inside her jacket, she put her hood up and opened the door to a new world. "Before you do stick your dagger in my back, I expect you to fight your all." The grass wilted at her feet, sagging. Birds twittered and veered away from her. With each step forward, she planted poisonous flowers. Monkshood, their drooping flowers a deadly purple, nodded in her wake and chest constricting Hwit stared at her as the door shut in his face.

BANG!

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter could be alternatively titled Cosmos' road trip...although, it wasn't much of a trip with Hwit going all loco. For all those who wondered about Hwit, I hope this chapter answers your questions.

At Nonny: My editor said the same thing about the Shiva/Cosmos friendship. Cosmos won't like Bahamut? Oh damn, he's my favorite dragon! Hwit does spill the beans, were you surprised? by his identity?

Thanks all for reading, as always, constructive criticism/discussions and reviews are all appreciated.


	14. The Invincible

**The Invincible**

Breathing to calm herself, Cosmos surveyed the world from beneath her hood and looked back to the closed door.

The disturbance behind it pulsed through, eroding the plants and insects unfortunate enough to be in its path. She twisted around and waited, the purple and poisonous flowers growing around her feet and creating a trail from seemingly nowhere, dissolved. Some of the leaves withered, crumbled and returned to dust. Other petals broke into tiny squares, eventually disappearing from reality. Shoulders tensing, she clapped her hands hurriedly just as the fabric of reality tore and a thick door, decorated with an ornate knob, sailed past her. A small, bronze dagger flew for her and Cosmos twirled her scythe, deflecting the deadly weapon from her chest.

Panting, Hwit sailed out from the ragged tunnel, his tiny wings grew, black on the outside and a velvety bronze lining the insides. He flapped erratically, fighting for control and his dagger meekly obeyed his erratic hand movements. The blade sunk into a giant yew tree and the tree disappeared. Corpses of insects and squirrels thumped at the goddess feet and bird feathers drifted gently around her, in colors of grey and brown. Cierr Harmonia flashed, clashing with the dagger and the ring of metal on metal echoed in the clearing. The animals receded, baying and barking and hooves thundering on the ground as they stampeded for safety.

The bronze dagger whirled past the scythe and scored a horizontal line on Cosmos' cheek. Silver ichor trickled down her face, dropping on her jacket. The blade lunged for her again and this time she raised her weapon upwards and stopped.

Another cut joined her first one, a vertical line slashing through her left eyeball and her golden eyebrow. She staggered back, cupped her defective eye and healed it.

Hwit blitzed for her, his dark wings and furry body mere inches away. The reality eating dagger clasped in bronze, overgrown claws. Horror flitted across his face.

"_Stop!_" Cosmos shouted and the air stilled. The moogle paused, hanging in mid-air and the goddess jumped back from his deadly blade. The fight drained her and the cuts still oozed, despite her best efforts at healing. She felt her tissues and cells die and regenerate over and over in a never ending cycle and Hwit twitched. His features rearranged into one of utmost loathing and she circled him, her hand grabbing his throat. "_Sleep_," Cosmos murmured tenderly. "Rest for a while, you have fought well." Time resumed as she throttled the moogle and he attempted another time stop. However his consciousness drifted and before his eyelids closed, he smiled.

"Thank you." Soundless gratitude formed on his lips.

Wiping the silver stains off her cheek. Cosmos looked at the entrance to the Void. She could not leave it there. Dragging the heavy, wooden door back to its hinges, she repaired the entrance and huffed. Tangling with Hwit took all of her energies. Stitching the fabric of reality back in place, she stood back, mopped sweat from her brow and observed her work. Only a slight shimmer betrayed the entrance and it remained unseen to the naked eye. Satisfied, she raised her arms to the sky, hoping to return the clearing back to its normal, forest green glory.

No trees grew and no flowers bloomed. The goddess looked at her trembling arms and clenched them into fists. Exhausted, she wearily marched to the south, stumbled to a stream and sat, her legs dangling in the cool, refreshing water. Closing her eyes, she prayed and searched for the place where Shinryu instigated the War.

Instead of seeing the dragon's impressive plates of bronze, she saw a vast darkness.

A choking void.

And it's Master.

The Cloud of Darkness.

* * *

Entering a cave in the Highlands, Luneth wondered why no ghostly green glow played on the cave's earthy walls. He poked his head inside and when no monsters burst forth, marched over the expanse of earth, wrinkling his nose at the musty smell. A short corridor, choked with weeds, led him to a deeper, hollowed out section and here, mounted on a pedestal of glass and iron, a Wind Crystal diffused emerald light. Instead of rotating gently on its podium and creating an aurora, the crystal became stagnant. Black. Alarmed, he rushed over and examined the platform. Not broken. Very slowly, Luneth eased the crystal in his hands and stared at it dismally.

The green marble tinted into a deep, foreboding charcoal. So this means...

"It's back again," he muttered to no one in particular and a bat screeched inside somewhere. Wrapping the corrupted crystal in a burlap sack, he stalked out, brow furrowed into a worried line. Arc was in Saronia, pursuing his love for books and learning at the great library. He has been gone for approximately one month now and Luneth missed him terribly. Having nothing else to do and not waiting around to grow into an old man like some people he knew, he set off, checking up on the Wind Shrines and crystals he and his friends restored. It gave him a sense of purpose. Still mulling over the predicament, he stepped out of the cave and stopped at a hooded figure standing very still in front of him. The individual appeared to be very interested in their hands and sliding out his short sword, he prowled to the front to see a golden butterfly emerging from cupped palms. "Cosmos?!" he asked and stuck the dagger back into his leather belt. "What are you doing here?"

Does she know about It coming back? He wondered.

"Onion Knight!" the goddess exclaimed and smiled. "You have grown to be a handsome young man since the last time I have laid my eyes on you."

He sniffed. "Of course, I'm not gonna stay as a kid forever!" Luneth blew an irritating bang out of his face and looked at Cosmos' bare feet, stained with earth and what appeared to be a yellow leaf, his eyes widened when a plant pushed up right next to her toes and a flower bloomed. Vivid pink. Compelled to show her the blackened Wind Crystal, he uncovered it and gave it to her. "I've been travelling," he explained, "and I thought to check up on the Wind Crystals." He gestured to the well hidden shrine. "As you can see its all black, so that means It is back." The goddess nodded knowingly. "You are here to get rid of it I suppose, don't worry, you can go back to where you came from and me and my friends will handle it no problem." Strands of light blonde hair blew across his face and suddenly, he smiled brightly. "Have you been travelling too?" The goddess replied. "How are Terra and the others?" His bright countenance dimmed, "I suppose the other worlds are in trouble?"

"...I watched a child die in front of me," Cosmos whispered and rotated. Luneth swallowed a gasp at her mutilated cheek. "Another Warrior swims, unsure of the time; and yet one sleeps, never to recover from the burns inflicted on him. One pines for his brother, another for his lover. A boy much like you shall never return and Terra has finally accepted her true self. What of you Luneth?" she asked and gave the shining ebony crystal back to him, she tucked his wayward hair behind his ears. "What shall you imbue me with after we part ways?"

Tucking the crystal back into his backpack, he raised his face. "You sound really sad and you had a fight with someone close to you." He pointed to the scars littering her cheek. "We can check up on the other Wind Crystals and I'll send a letter to my friend in the City to come back and help us. _It_ resides in the Crystal Tower and ultimately we'll have to get there." Pausing when his stomach growled, he patted his pockets and withdrew a single, squashed cheese sandwich. Regarding the goddess, he broke the bread in half and offered it to her. "It's a bit squashed but it's all I have. Don't worry, travelling will cheer you up." His lips quirked into a sure smile.

She laughed and accepted the food. "I do not require sustenance any longer although there was one time I needed it. A stall owner refused to give me an apple and said I must pay Gil." Luneth's eyes grew wide and sparked with righteous anger, the nerve of the stall keeper! "I possessed no Gil with me at that time and-"

"You went hungry?" The knight interjected, sandwich half way through his mouth. "Couldn't he sense what you were?"

"It is a long story Luneth," Cosmos sighed and rose from where the two sat on a fallen, hollow log. "I shall travel with you but I must defeat The Cloud of Darkness."

The boy frowned thoughtfully. "But I can do it too, I'm sure you have other stuff to worry about." She shook her head and he deflated. "Hmm..well, I know there is something bad happening...I mean, the reappearance of It is already a bad omen and-" The rest of his words drowned in the chopping of propellers and the duo raced to a large clearing devoid of tall trees. "Arc's back!" Luneth shouted and hopped in glee. "He's faster than I expected," his voice rose over the roar of the airship's propellers.

A giant underbelly, striped in dust, hovered over the two and the goddess' hood whipped back, her hair dancing along with the erratic wind. Delighted by the colossal ship, she moved backwards, eyes narrowing against the sun's brilliant glare to peer at the miniature town nestled within _T__he Invincible_. A youngster, dressed in sea green robes and a pale yellow neck scarf, descended from the gangplank, clutching his hat and a thick, leather bound tome to his chest. Momentarily glancing at Arc, Cosmos resumed raking_The Invincible's_ deck, weaving through the crowds and listening to the jostling shop keepers. The noise and smells induced a smile across her lips and whilst Arc, mildly intimidated by the tall, glorious figure, shifted behind Luneth, the goddess tore her eyes off the magnificent air ship as it flew away and smiled at him.

"A wonderful ship," she stated dreamily, "with an entire town on board!" The males exchanged amused looks. "I would like to ride in one."

_But you can teleport;_ Hwit's scathing words came back, haunting the fringes of her mind.

Arc, still adjusting to Cosmos' overbearing brightness, stared at the goddess as she mused about riding an air ship. Some months back, he left the Highlands on the Floating Continent via a lucky ticket on _The Invincible_. The great airship took him to the surface world, Saronia. Northwestern Saronia boasted the largest and most ancient library found on the planet. With ample funds, he stayed in a homely Inn near the Great Library and conducted daily trips to the stone walled building to research the usage of magic. Inside the library, the musty smell of books welcomed him and an air of quietness pervaded. Oak shelves gleamed and groaned under the weight of tea colored pages. Most of the valuable tomes were chained with silver and a good thing too, Arc wanted to take them all.

The memory of the spacious library, with its wood paneled walls and brass lamps brought on a wave of nausea. Used to maintain the balance of the world, the Wind Crystals were subject to corruption when darkness rose and he heard rumors on the cobblestoned streets. Neighbors whispered about 'transient' multicolored devils roaming the horizon and of the Void reviving its master. Shivering at the sudden chill brushing the back of his neck, Arc turned to relate his discoveries to Luneth but instead, found the goddess staring straight at him. The uncomfortable sensation that she looked right through this skin prompted Arc to shift back to his proper place.

Half a step behind the Onion Knight and happy in the shadow cast by the taller male.

"What was the Library like?" Luneth saved Arc the agony of saying the first word and rummaged in his bag, revealing a pitch black Wind Crystal. The latter's sharp intake of breath did not go unnoticed. "Yeah, the others are the same but the Crystal I got from Cosmos is still alright." The goddess' gaze rested heavily on the parcel wrapped in silk, she noted how the knight put it carefully back in his bag. "You're early," Luneth prattled, "the Cloud of Darkness is back and Cosmos and I are going to the Crystal Tower to get rid of it. "I was actually going to send you a letter but here you are. I suppose I have to escort you back home now."

Taking off his pointy wizard's hat, Arc shook his head. "No, I want to come with you to the Crystal Tower." The Onion knight resignedly blew on his irritating bang of hair and shrugged. "There is something else you need to know, there are rumors of transparent devils roaming the horizon," Arc related and Luneth's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "The townspeople described them as see through demons and they seem to be copies of IT."

If Arc wanted Luneth to share in the horror he felt, he was severely disappointed.

Instead of appearing subtly panic stricken, he nodded knowingly. "Figures they'd be here if the Cloud of Darkness has risen." Luneth faced the west, where a pregnant bank of clouds tinted pink from the dying sun's rays. Next to him, Cosmos bored straight ahead, her expression unreadable. "Let's camp, we'll set off for the Crystal Tower tomorrow, it's quite far from this part of the Highlands." Leaving the goddess to brood and nurture potentially deadly plants near her feet, Luneth hammered tent pegs in the clumpy soil.

"The Crystal..." Cosmos whispered to the air, she touched the scars on her face. The fight with Hwit felt like an age, a century ago and she marveled at the way time flew. Behind her, the two boys nailed and stretched an olive green tent between them, with the occasional exasperated sigh from one when the other made a mistake.

How did mortals feel, knowing that time didn't march endlessly for them? Knowing one day they will perish? Returned to the very dust and dirt they sometimes scorned?

Another shout followed laughter. When the giggles died, the boy called Arc protested loudly. Then came the crackle of gentle fire and the scrape of sword on stone.

Turning, the goddess witnessed her Warrior sharpening his swords. The shy one speared chunks of vegetables on skewers and tended to the fire. Above them, a ring of trees gave way to a semi-circle of star spangled sky. Jacket rustling, Cosmos seated opposite the two boys and said, "Luneth, I need my Crystal."

He stopped sharpening his sword immediately and his head snapped up.

"But it's mine," he hissed through clenched teeth. "It's a manifestation of your power," he sniffed, "you don't need power do you?"

"Don't be a bonehead." Arc's voice drifted over the fire and all the attention speared to him. Flustered, he continued, "the goddess is here precisely because there is an imbalance."

The Onion Knight snorted. "You don't know Cosmos, she's very powerful." He picked up his broadsword and swept it vigorously over the whetstone. "And besides, she came here for the Cloud of Darkness...which," he articulated loudly when the fire cackled, "you and I can take care of."

"You don't know the circumstances behind It's rising." Arc, agitated, rose from his tree stump, his cloak billowing. "And why should a Goddess in charge of an entirely different dimension come here if we are capable of vanquishing the Cloud of Darkness on our own?"

"...I dunno? Cosmos likes to travel like me?" Luneth grinned self-confidently and selected his short sword, examining it by dancing firelight before whetting it. "The Crystal is my good luck charm-"

"Not just a good luck charm," Arc interjected and the Onion Knight exhaled noisily. Once quiet and barely speaking, Arc morphed into quite the stubborn and vocal individual. "It boosts your powers...perhaps that's the real reason why you don't want to part with it?" The mage challenged. "You won't be able to show off anymore."

"_What?!_" Luneth jumped to his feet. "Try saying that again!"

A pure white scythe buried between him and Arc and startled, he jumped back. "Do you two fight like this all the time?" Another butterfly with shimmering wings emerged from Cosmos' cupped hands and she smiled serenely at them. "As for your question Luneth, I have lost all my powers..." His expression scrunched into disbelief. "I _am_ powerful," she assured, "but not powerful enough." Facing Arc, who bunched his robes angrily between two pale fists, she added, "And yes, I was ousted out of power by Shinryu-"

"But he's supposed to be neutral!"

This time, Arc exhaled tiredly.

"Apparently war mediating dragons are not above corruption," Cosmos tartly explained. Luneth still found it difficult to believe her words and silently dropped to the floor, where he resumed sharpening his swords mechanically. "...You may give my Crystal after we deal with the Cloud of Darkness." The goddess smiled and conceded. A heavy silence descended on the little camp and the crackling of fire broke it occasionally. Luneth buffed his swords into a deadly shine and carefully slotted them into their leather holsters. Wind skipped through the trees behind the group and the low hoot of an owl echoed from some distance. "Go to sleep, you need to replenish your energy for the journey tomorrow," Cosmos prompted softly and brushing his hair to the back, the Onion knight opened his mouth to protest, he glanced at Arc, through the better of it and shuffled inside the tent.

Seconds later, the mage followed him.

Alone with a dying fire, Cosmos rose from her log and leaned against a tree. Pale moonlight poured from the sky, highlighting her scarred cheek. She closed her eyes and dreamt.

A pitch black darkness spread at her feet. _Eating_; Swallowing the world.

From the sea of ebony a creature rose, its roars filling her ears and thudding her brain.

* * *

**A/N:** It's grey and cloudy and I feel like drinking hot chocolate which I'm too lazy to make. And it's hot too. Much thanks to all those who read and review the story, hopefully this brings a smile to your face if you are having a bad day. For those having extra bad days, I recommend hot chocolate or coffee, they are the answer to all of life's questions.

At Nonny: Did I ever mention that I used to call my brother's best friend Nonny? Toddler me could not pronounce his name properly so Ronnie became Nonny, and it stuck. I like to think that Cid is the Warrior of Light...sort of. I know WOL is a perfect manikin based on Cid but somehow in the story all that got kinda warped. For some reason, I like Bahamut's (FF15) design, it looks really cool with that ridiculously gorgeous armor. And I never understood why Shiva was a female...but whatever.

Once again, thanks all for reading and have a happy day


	15. White

**White**

Cooking was not Cosmos forte, but it did not stop her from trying.

Inside an olive green tent, the Onion Knight shifted in his bedroll, he got up, squinted at the sun drawing odd shapes on the cloth walls and punched his flat pillow into shape, next to him, Arc slumbered peacefully, not a hair out of place. Throwing the blankets off, Luneth hunted for his cotton sheet, eyed the one covering his best friend and promptly pulled it towards him. Pausing, he sniffed the air, nose wrinkling and resumed teasing the sheet to his side of the tent.

The boy lay down, snug in a cocoon. He sighed and buried his face in the pillow.

Half an hour later, a rectangle of sunlight struck his eyes and grumbling, he bolted upright, detangling his legs and arms from blankets, his bed and the sheet. Again, a burning, sweet smell wafted past his nose and curious, he poked his head out of the tent flap. In front of a roaring fire, Cosmos carefully strung chunks of vegetables and what appeared to be -Luneth squinted- meat on wooden skewers and turned them over the fire pit.

The goddess whipped around, an angelic smile on her face and the knight's stomach dropped when she stalked towards him and offered him a skewer, her bright blue eyes _commanded_ him to eat.

Crawling out of the tent, Luneth smoothed his clothes, pulled his hair into a messy ponytail and reluctantly took the proffered skewer. Clasping her hands expectantly, the goddess watched him, a dangerously placid smile on her face. Sniffing the skewer and swallowing at the smoky undertone of the food, the Onion Knight took an experimental bite and chewed. "Tastes...good actually." He grinned at the unexpected flavor and took another healthy bite. "I didn't know you could cook."

"Being stripped of power gives one new perspectives," Cosmos wisely stated just as Arc emerged from the tent, adjusting a pale yellow scarf around his neck. The mage looked at the half devoured skewer in Luneth's hands and at the additional piles roasting slowly near the fire pit. "You should eat." The goddess turned to the mage and he politely declined the offer. Raising a bottle of potion, he chugged the bright green contents and wiped his mouth before fishing out a map and laying the parchment on a flat stone.

Luneth sidled over, smacking his lips and holding a fresh skewer in his hands. "_Eat._" He held it out and stabbed the map with his free index finger. "For we have a long way to go, if we start walking now, we can make it to the Crystal Tower by dusk overmorrow and this means no food breaks."

Arc plotted, he brought out a book from the folds of his lime green robes and studied the terrain. "No thanks," he quietly replied. "I don't eat roasted worms."

The Onion Knight stopped munching and spat out whatever was in his mouth. "Worms?!" he weakly questioned and waved his stick to Cosmos who happily turned the other skewers. "You put_ worms_ in here?!"

"They are good sources of protein," the goddess and Arc replied simultaneously. "And knowing how restless you are, I think they will be good for you," the mage calmly replied whilst his best friend gagged and drowned a canteen of water. Luneth's face tinted pink; he hacked at the base of a nearby tree and would have vomited if Cosmos did not put her hand on his head. "You don't have time to be sick," Arc chided and rolled the map, "come on, we need to pack up camp and move."

The goddess watched the two boys methodically pull the tent pegs and collapse the cloth shelter into a tiny bundle of shiny material. Last night's lucid dream floated before her eyes, the ground seemed to drop beneath her and the presence of an all-consuming void weighed on her mind. She faced many entities before but none of them nestled in her stomach like the Cloud of Darkness. Perhaps it was furious because of the tainted Void? Maybe. Her knight worked on the campsite, discreetly throwing the other skewers away when she pretended not to look. She thought about the crystal, the other Warriors gave it to her unhesitatingly, but this young boy guarded it zealously and was reluctant to relinquish it.

Should she demand it from him? At this rate, she will fall in front of the Cloud of Darkness. Sacrifice the surrounding landscape? Cosmos rotated to the lush Highlands. A colossal, sapphire river wound through the Floating Continent, snaking at the bases of small mountains and cutting through emerald plains. The river dropped off at the edge, a thundering waterfall to the continent below.

The world around her turned and the goddess touched her temple. The small amount of balance Hwit brought her, shattered the day before and the full effects of Shinryu's corruption seeped into her veins. Inhaling deeply, she vigorously massaged her temples and closed her eyes at the whirling landscape.

"Lady Cosmos," a soft voice piped next to her, "we are ready to leave." Arc stood roughly a meter away from her and trained his gaze to the leaf littered forest floor. By the time he mustered enough courage to look the goddess in her face; she towered above him, her unruly shock of hair spilling like a golden halo around her hood and her complexion three shades paler. "Is there anything wrong?" the boy asked, brow furrowed. "You need your Crystal," Arc deciphered, "and Luneth is not willing to give it to you." Cosmos nodded and reached for his wizard's hat, perched skew over his head. She tilted it to its proper position and swept away, leaving the air smelling of jasmine. "I'll try coaxing it out of Luneth," Arc called and hurried after the tall goddess. "He needs to be more considerate of others.

Clouds swamped the Highland plains. The dewy grass underfoot soaked the hem of Cosmos' ankle length jacket and she strode through fields of brightly colored flowers waving in the misty surrounds. The outline of distant mountains, softened by the bloom of white, leered like ghostly shadows and a tall obelisk lunged for the sky.

The Crystal Tower.

A long stretch of ground separated the journeying trio from the sparkling pillar of crystal and the cloudy Highlands distorted their vision. The goddess tasted ice on her tongue. It tasted like nothing. She thought of Shiva, mischievous and teasing, but with a heart of loyalty. Could the ice goddess remove this obtrusive cloud? Pulling her hood down, Cosmos cut apart the blanket of white and the boys cheered as a few moments of precious sunlight flooded the plain. The fog eventually claimed them but not before giving them a glimpse of the elusive tower.

"It goes further away the closer we come to it," Luneth grumbled and squinted through the foggy screen. "Should we camp? I'm exhausted."

The green robed mage tackled the map, frowning delicately and spinning around like a compass, searching for a landmark. "We can't," he flatly stated as the Onion Knight began to unload his backpack, "you said there will be no breaks till evening, the Crystal Tower is still a way off and we don't have time to camp." Mumbling under his breath, Luneth hitched his pack, adjusted the straps comfortably over his shoulders and trailed Cosmos as she sailed through the sea of grass. Green stained her bare feet, but where her heel touched the earth, new growth pushed through the soil and flowers bloomed in rapid succession before his very eyes.

His face brightened and he ran to catch up with the marching goddess.

"Can't you teleport?" Luneth asked and Cosmos ground to a halt, she listened to the Warrior but her eyes remained fixed on their destination. "I remember you teleporting when you gave me the Crystal in the other world. Perhaps you can take us to the Crystal Tower," he jerked his head at the spire, "and it will save both time and energy."

Before she could answer, a vise grip seized her chest and Cosmos found it difficult to breath.

What was this..._oppression_? Like the end hovering above her?

She swept her hand regally across the cloud choked plains. "I am unable to teleport in the domain of the Void," Cosmos stated and Luneth frowned, disappointed. "The Cloud of Darkness is asserting its influence in silent, yet sinister ways, can you not feel it?" The Onion knight shrugged, he felt fine but Arc panted behind him like he ran a marathon.

"Give the goddess the Crystal," the brunette rasped and Luneth whipped around, eyes narrowed. "Luneth, can't you understand Lady Cosmos needs it?" Arc gestured to the goddess, who stared into the distance, her expression unreadable. "She didn't come here simply to defeat the Cloud of Darkness, she came here to retrieve a piece of her power, don't be obstinate!" the mage whispered fiercely under his breath and collapsed on the grass. The Onion Knight shifted angrily away from him, tossing his backpack to the wet grass, Luneth reluctantly opened the flap.

He rifled through a myriad of potions, arrows, dried food for the journey and a bundle of cream silk. His cape. Lifting it tenderly, he unwrapped the parcel and muted sunshine reflected off an oval, jade tinted crystal. Holding it reverently with both hands, Luneth dragged his feet towards Cosmos and knelt before her, presenting the Crystal. "Sorry, I didn't realize how much this Crystal means to you..." The goddess breathed a sigh of relief before tracing long fingers over the glassy surface. Memories swirled in there, a room of manikins vanquished by a young boy. Two Warriors battling for their convictions and one victor. "Please have it," the Onion Knight said and shattered the sweet reminisce. Smiling broadly, Cosmos crushed the crystal and waited for the euphoria of power to flood her veins.

Instead, she swayed on her feet, her hand clamping on Luneth's shoulder for support. The latter swallowed a hiss of pain and Arc joined him, concern etched on their faces. The goddess glared at the earth and a patch of thick grass wilted before her acrid stare. The withered circle of vegetation grew till the trio stood in a pool of rotting blossoms and the stench of death wafted beneath their nose. Alarmed, Luneth gently touched the cold fingers gripping his shoulder and quickly pulled his hand away. Thunder roared and wind tossed the trees, threatening to snap them in half.

* * *

_The iron throne...Cosmos touched it and the freezing cold seeped through her veins._

_Opposite her stood Chaos, face twisted into a sneer characteristic of him and her heart squeezed in sadness._

_Behind them towered Shinryu, his eyes of burnished gold ever indecipherable. Cosmos stared at the dragon, Cierr Harmonia sunk into the iron throne and the scythe blade lovingly brushed against the skulls of long dead._

_She waited for the Planesgorger to protest, however, he simply laughed._

* * *

Straightening, the goddess gently tucked strands of wayward hair behind Luneth's ears. "What happened?" he hoarsely demanded and pointed to the barren landscape. "After I gave you the Crystal, you froze and stared at the ground and everything began to die. Arc is terrified!" The mage clutched his pointy wizard's hat, irises numbed glassily as he shook sand out of his boots. "Are you okay?" Luneth asked and blinked at the smiling goddess. "You look happier..." he trailed off.

"I have glimpsed the end-"

"The end?" The Onion knight did not shriek, but the fear in his voice echoed for miles.

"Let her finish," Arc tiredly stated and kicked the sand, a lizard scuttled out from a patch and internally screaming, he gravitated towards his best friend.

Smiling, the goddess explained. "The end of my journey. It is not pleasant but if this is what time dictates, then I shall face and conquer it." Cierr Harmonia materialized into her hands, the pure white weapon blinded the boys and they shielded their eyes from its harsh brilliance. Cosmos let go of the scythe and it danced, cutting the sandy floor into a neat magic circle. Holding out her hands, the goddess ushered the two males in the circle and added, "We shall teleport, but be careful to grasp my hands firmly. You would not like mixed body parts would you?"

"I hope that was a joke," Luneth muttered under his breath. His vision squeezed shut, air escaped his lungs and the uncomfortable sensation of hurtling through space tingled from the tips of his toes.

* * *

They arrived.

The Crystal Tower resembled the Crystal Palace on the Red Moon. The Highlands, with its rolling green hills and cloud covered ground; fell away, like some distant reality in the face of this majestic, luminous tower of cyan crystal. The top petered into a pointed edge, a lance piercing the heavens and around it, tiny islands hung, suspended in the air by invisible ropes. Sensing crackling black magic ringing the edge of the tower, Cosmos forbade Luneth and Arc to go close.

Indignant at her lack of faith in him, the Onion Knight unsheathed his broadsword and with some coaxing, the mage joined him in demolishing the barrier. Each time the sword struck seemingly nothing, an ear shattering crack split the air and the tower darkened momentarily, swarmed with transient demons and their hate filled eyes.

Rosy sunlight bled on Cosmos' jacket, painting the accents into blood gold. She heard the boys, shouting encouragements to each other as they hacked at the barrier. A smile bloomed on her face and she studied the tower. Being this closer to the master of the Void squeezed her stomach unpleasantly and she circled the domicile, eyes searching for weak points. Inside the obelisk of crystal, the Cloud of Darkness floated, sucking the light and thought from the creatures within. It followed Cosmos' outside progress and the two locked gazes despite the sheer walls of crystal separating them.

"Luneth, MOVE!" Arc screeched when the top of the Crystal Tower slid off. The two scurried away and the pillar tumbled to the grassy ground, snagging a mini-floating island along the way and whacking the landmass on the Floating Continent. A loud boom echoed in their ears and they spent the next few moments shouting at each other and panicking at their temporarily deafened state. "WHAT HAPPENED?" the mage screamed and pointed to the neatly sliced tower. "Cosmos...LADY COSMOS CUT IT IN HALF!"

The Onion Knight shook his head. "Stop screaming, I can hear you fine," he reproached. The bulk of the Crystal Tower obscured Cosmos and he stalked towards the fallen half, Arc stepping gingerly in his shadow. "Wow...it is cut," he examined the base and touched it. "Hot!" Luneth hissed. "We need to meet up, with the tower broken; I don't think the barrier is an issue anymore." The duo raced to the other side and spotted the goddess immediately, they stumbled to a crashing stop, wary of the lightning flickering from Cierr Harmonia. The forked flashes drew jagged scars along the tower sides and carved a crude door. A giant block of luminous crystal fell out and hit the ground, smoking and tinting to a sinful black.

Turning to the two figures waiting silently on the side, Cosmos called to them, "It is best if you two wait on the outside." Arc agreed whole heartedly whilst a glint of defiance welled in Luneth's bottle green eyes. "Onion Knight..." she placated, "you have fought well, this time, allow me to clear my conscious." He immediately dipped his head respectfully and stepped down. Smiling at them, the goddess marched through the entrance cut into the side of the tower and a triangle of darkness swallowed her form.

"...I'm worried," Arc admitted. A thick bank of silver grey clouds blotted the moon and he shivered at the unspoken implications. "I know Lady Cosmos is capable, but the Cloud of Darkness is more powerful than ever."

Luneth searched the pitch black sky for signs of light, they leaned against the broken off tower of crystal and waited for Cosmos to reappear. He already missed her sunshine smile. "She'll be alright," he assured, more himself than his best friend. The overwhelming urge to burst into the tower remained a constant mental itch and he restrained himself forcefully. "She is extremely powerful, a goddess if you will," the Onion knight continued, but as he spoke, dread stabbed his stomach. Finding nothing better to say, he lapsed in silence, hoping Arc will not find another reason to bring Cosmos up.

* * *

In the ebony interior of the Crystal Tower, Cosmos panted.

"Victory is ours," the Cloud of Darkness murmured silkily, its voice carrying to the far confines of the building. "You shall fall here, now, and we will triumph." The two tentacles wreathing the Void Master, wrapped around Cierr Harmonia and with a fierce tug, pulled the scythe away. Unwilling to be torn apart, the weapon vibrated in its bonds, humming before tearing through the sinewy tendrils and soaring back to the goddess. The Cloud of Darkness and Cosmos circled each other, their hair damp and plastered to their scalp. Sounds faded away, mutilated bodies of fallen manikins littered the glass mosaic floor and above, clouds shielded the moon protectively.

The goddess lunged, blade edge of Cierr Harmonia tearing through Cloud of Darkness' upper arm. The shallow laceration healed instantaneously. It retaliated with a particle beam, a bright flood which smacked Cosmos against the tower walls. Shaking her hair free from crystal fragments, she twirled her scythe above her head and descended on the Cloud of Darkness, unleashing a flurry of graceful slashes. One tentacle fell to the floor, skipping erratically and hissing, the other chomped on Cosmos' jacket, tearing a mouthful of white fabric. Cloud of Darkness recoiled when crescent blades of energy converged on its chest. The attack left twin gashes, but nothing more.

"..." Cosmos examined her wounds, they knitted before her eyes. Opposite her, the Cloud of Darkness, missing one sentient tentacle, panted and its feet brushed the ground. It mirrored her tiredness and the goddess stalked back. She and the Void Master were opposites, they could not harm each other, their attacks met in vibrant sparks and neutralized each other.

What to _do_, oh what to _do_.

A blur of dark, webbed wings bled into view and for a moment, Cosmos blinked. A dream?

No!

Hwit, wearing his perpetual frown, materialized next to her and directed his undiluted wrath on the Cloud of Darkness. Irises of burnished gold speared into the entity and it shrunk back, muttering uncertainly to itself. "Stand back," the moogle commanded to Cosmos and she receded respectfully. "You two cannot defeat each other," Hwit announced and drew his miniscule dagger, tossing it with his bronze claws, "therefore I'm doing you a favor and eating it." The little knife cut through the darkness, like a comet streaking through a starless sky. It sunk in the Cloud of Darkness' shoulder and it irritably pulled the dagger out and crushed it. Hwit opened his tiny mouth and roared.

And outside, the Crystal Tower shook to its very foundations.

* * *

**A/N:** About the bit were Cosmos roasts worms, I had inspiration from Lion King, you know, the movie of our childhood? And yes, worms are a got source of protein, people eat them in some cultures. As usual, feedback and reviews are very much appreciated. Thanks all for reading.

At Nonny: WOL's novel name is Zest, as in orange or lemon zest? Dunno how to feel about that. Although, Zest sounds cool...a bit? I like his hair, I definitely want mine to look as majestic when it turns all white...not that I need to wait long... I have a picture of a statue of Shiva, I took one when I visited a Hindu temple and immediately afterwards regretted it because there were people praying there. He has a three pronged trident as well, uses it for his destroying purposes. I think he's the god of destruction. I had no idea that Hindu deities were genderfluid. I believe in one god though, it's confusing to keep track of so many, personally speaking.

Cosmos being fascinated with technology was the editor's idea. It's fun to write her as such. As for Hwit, I love writing him and he sort of spins out of control. Luneth...hardly liked that brat, I don't much like his attacks in Dissidia either, but it was refreshing to write someone rebellious. Thanks for reviewing, it's nice to have these conversations :)


	16. Of Gods and Goddesses

**Of Gods and Goddesses**

Outside, Luneth and Arc jumped up and mouth hanging open, observed the disintegrating Crystal Tower. Entire walls of multicolored glass vanished in front of their eyes and bewildered, the Onion Knight gripped his sword and rushed headlong into the crude, triangular entrance cut by the goddess. "Luneth...wait!" Arc shouted feebly but the pre-dawn wind swallowed his words and tossed it to some obscure part of the Floating Continent.

The Cloud of Darkness stared at its body, or what remained of it. Never was it so fully annihilated. Yes, years ago, a couple of low life humans managed to seal it for the time being, but it promised to return and return it did. The cycle of the Void was continuous; however, it seemed the cycle might come to an abrupt end. The tiny, furred creature in front of the Cloud of Darkness pulled back its lips, revealing fangs too large for its mouth. His eyes...the Void Master struggled to recall, where did?

_Shinryu._

Thinking of the bronze plated dragon induced a wave of intense disgust in the Cloud of Darkness. Another roar of ancient power swept over the dilapidated stubs of the Crystal Tower and the floor crumbled into atoms, too small for the naked eye. The left half of the Void Master disintegrated and only its painful gurgle remained behind.

Luneth skidded to a stop when the floor disappeared; he stumbled over grass roots, uneven clumps of clay and caught himself before face planting to the ground. Inside the building's main body, where beautiful crystal walls once stood in a circle, he saw two figures. One, the stately shape of Cosmos, gripped Cierr Harmonia so tightly, her knuckles stood out on the weapon shaft. The other, a moogle with unusual eyes and long talons, flitted around, restlessness apparent in the curve of its wings. Standing meters apart, the duo regarded each other with silent, searching stares and the Onion Knight ducked behind a barely upright pillar, not wanting to intrude.

"You have done me a favor, for this I thank you." Cosmos bowed low and Hwit snorted, jerking his face away from gratitude. "Have you healed?" the goddess probed and the moogle shook his head irritably.

He flapped around, maintaining his distance from the goddess. "I am beyond healing," Hwit lowly voiced and sighed. The column hiding Luneth broke into motes of dust. "I will try my best to be your guide, however, I lose control easily, Shinryu, the corrupt dragon, is pulling me away and I cannot resist the pull of such power." Cosmos nodded knowingly, no sadness flashed in her eyes. "And when the time comes," Hwit continued relentlessly, "you do what you have to do." The goddess turned away. "You owe me Cosmos-"

"I owe you for no such thing!" she declared, putting an end to a budding argument. Unable to sustain his form, Hwit dissolved and Cosmos stalked to where Luneth tried his best to make himself invisible. "The Cloud of Darkness has been vanquished," she said and led him outside. The light of dawn filtered from the edge of the continent and tinted the misty landscape into a rosy blush. "The Wind Crystals are purified." The Onion Knight and Arc excitedly checked the corrupted crystal and smiled at the uniform, flawless jade surface. "Now you and your friend will journey to put them back to their proper place and I-"

"What world are you going to next?" Luneth interrupted.

Arc pinched the bridge of his nose. "Would you let Lady Cosmos finish her sentence for once?"

* * *

Adjusting his tie, Hope hurried down Eden's expressway. The road provided a splendid view of the sky and the distant Gran Pulse, hanging like an oversized moon. People rushed around, singular purpose in mind and heat sizzled the surroundings. Dodging a couple sharing an ice-cream and taking photos with the expressway as a backdrop, Hope marched on, oblivious to the heat, to the flashing lights and the murmurs of the populace buzzing in his ears. The general atmosphere of Cocoon shifted slightly and although the masses were unaware, the Academy picked up on the subtle change almost instantaneously and Hope dispatched himself to study the changes. For years, the Academy rebuilt Cocoon with his efforts; stopping at a railway substation, he boarded a tram for the outer fringes of Cocoon, where he had a small, research laboratory.

The tram, a capsule of reinforced glass and flat, plasma screens, blared adverts in his ears and impatient, he settled in a warm, plastic seat. A baby cried, its wails echoing against the walls and the tram blitzed forward. Outside, meters of railings and bridges blurred past. Lights winked, on and off and Hope rubbed his forehead. A cool, electronic voice announced the end of his journey and breathing a sigh of relief, he exited the capsule with a bunch of other people. Stepping in the crisp, air-conditioned air of the upper layer of Cocoon, he steered to an elevator and waited for the chrome doors to open.

Instead of going inside the velvet and mirror lined box, Hope crashed into the safety railing of a staircase. The ground dangled beneath him, hundreds of meters away and his stomach hurt. Whirling around, he ducked when a fist soared over his head. Gasping when the stranger demolished a glass panel, Hope fumbled for his boomerang and flung it. The curved weapon flew, crashed into a gloved palm and he straightened, wiping a dribble of blood from his eyebrows and mouth hanging open.

"Snow?" he asked uncertainly. "What are you doing here?" His boomerang fragments fell to the metal walkway and he stepped back. Clad in a dark suit and wearing an expression of utter apathy, Snow grabbed Hope by the front of his shirt. "_Why_ are you here?!" Hope attempted to free himself from Snow's vise grip and after wriggling uselessly for a few minutes, gave up and hung uselessly. "...You look different," the adolescent rasped and examined the older man's lifeless eyes. Once they brimmed in eternal optimism, now they burned with nothing but the promise of death.

"You look like a kid on a mission." Snow let go and Hope immediately put a distance between himself and the older man. "I know where you are going and I want you to take me there."

Hope paled, his bleached expression whitening further. "I don't know what you are talking about," he calmly replied, eyes sweeping to the elevator box. "I'm paying a visit to my research center...there is a...disturbance on Gran Pulse and I want to study it, if the land is inhabitable, the Academy and I would be able to solve the overpopulation problem in Cocoon."

At this, Snow smiled thinly and pushed his ragged strands of hair backwards. "Do you think," he hoarsely questioned, "I would come all the way here just because I want to see you pattering in front of your keyboard?" Hope sidled backwards, a metal rimmed wall separated them from the public eye and the elevator and he slid into the open. The doors to the elevator released and he lunged for it, boots thumping on the metal catwalk. "You will take me to HER!" Snow roared behind him and gave chase, the two crashed into the elevator cabin, a mirror broke, the bell dinged and the doors whirred shut.

A few minutes later, Hope stumbled out of the elevator box, his cream white jacket dotted with spots of blood. Snow stalked after him. Several meters below, Eden's expressway glimmered, a shiny river amongst numerous others. Dizzy from the blood loss and height, Hope turned to the older man, leaning casually on a support strut and waited for another punch which never came.

"I don't understand why you want to go to the Unseen Realm." The wind drowned part of Hope's words and he frantically searched for an exit. "There is nothing there but a crystallized Lightning." His breath hitched at the name but Snow's smile inched wider. "What's gotten into you?" Hope boldly demanded, turquoise eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You are satisfied with looking after the souls of the dead, so why did you come back?"

Snow threw his head back and chuckled humorlessly. "You think I'm here of my own free will?" he snarked and tapped his foot impatiently. "Enough questions, take me to where Lightning is and I won't break your nose." Uncertainty melted from the younger man's eyes and defiance replaced it. "You want to play it the hard way?" Snow, agitated, slammed a hand on the wall and Hope barely flinched. "Fine, I can give you another-"

His head whipped back, barely missing the gleaming edge of another boomerang. A rain of magic followed the projectile. Fire and ice and thunder, all striking Snow and tearing the upper floors apart. The glass walls shook, a bolt popped from a sheet of metallic netting and the entire safety measure squealed and crumbled. Peeling off and popping more bolts along the way. Unscathed, Snow brushed burn marks off his blazer and stepped forward, thrusting a palm directly into Hope's face. A fountain of blood squirted.

The younger male held his nose and curled his fingers in, the boomerang bolted back, striking Snow at the back of his neck. The blonde man staggered, eyes glittering furiously and grabbed Hope's throat.

Two meaty palms wrapped around Hope's neck and his feet left the floor. Stars squeezed in his vision and the edges grew dark and blurry. He gasped for air, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Take me to her and I'll let you go," Snow's guttural voice bled through the static mounting in Hope's ears.

"_No._" He gurgled and the pressure increased. "No..." he choked. "I'm not...you..._destroy..._"

Suddenly the pressure decreased and he crumpled to the floor, swallowing gulps of air. Bewildered and knees smarting, he looked up to see a godly figure, robed in white and gold, push Snow backwards. The man hissed angrily, clutching his burning palms and the goddess, for she looked like one, spun a deadly scythe in her slender fingers and stood between the two men.

"You must be Snow Villiers," she addressed the blonde and he grunted a reply. "And you..." Cosmos spun around, her hair flaring behind her and Hope found it easier to breath. She smelled of jasmine and warm memories. "I am afraid I do not know your name."

"Hope Estheim," he replied and wiped the blood from his nose.

Cosmos clasped her hands to her chest and smiled. "Hope? A beautiful name." She helped him to his feet. "I came here seeking a Warrior of mine," her delicate features scrunched momentarily and she beamed. "You may know her as Lightning Farron."

An awkward spell of silence descended on the trio. Cosmos looked from one male to the other and waited for one to enlighten her. "She is not here," Snow eventually shattered the oppressive silence. "Lightning is in the Unseen Realm, crystallized and possibly inert. She won't be able to respond to you."

"I see," Cosmos replied without a beat. "Will you take me to her?" She directed her query to Hope and before replying, his eyes surreptitiously gravitated to the smoldering figure in the background. Understanding his unspoken plea, the goddess marched to Snow and despite his size, he shrunk in her presence. "Unwitting pawn of chaos," she announced, her voice reverberating off the glass and metal surfaces, "do not interfere in my quest, go back to where you came from or I shall be forced to deal with you."

Involuntarily shivering at the fathomless wrath in Cosmos' blue eyes, Snow pulled his gaze downwards. He remembered the previous Warriors: Ultimecia returned, permanently humiliated and with a lattice of scars scarring her chest. Golbez walked around mindlessly, nursing a permanent injury. Kefka returned as dust, each mote screaming of pain and radiating death. His ashes swirled in a stagnant lava pool. The Cloud of Darkness merged with the Void, never to rise again and Ardyn Izunia, melted into his world, forever watching his back for the Goddess of Death. Rumors spread through the barren landscape and he listened when the other Warriors spoke of Cosmos, their voices tinged with fear and dare he say it, respect.

"I won't stand down." He obstinately stood his ground and the goddess lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "I have a score to settle with her and you will not-"

THWACK!

The scythe shaft hit him on the side of his head, he spun towards the elevator, collided against a thick pane of glass and the surface rippled, a multicolored rainbow. Eyelids fluttering shut over glassy irises, Snow slid to the floor.

Cierr Harmonia dematerialized and Cosmos exhaled. "We must make haste," she gently prompted and Hope, startled out of his stupor, nodded quickly. "I cannot bring myself to kill him, not when he is vulnerable like this." The male nodded and strode, leading the goddess to a narrow, barely trodden corridor. It smelled sterile and of neglect, however, no dust collected in the corners.

"Lightning is in the Unseen Realm," Hope explained and ducked into a small, square room. At the entrance, Cosmos hesitated and he waved her in. "Please don't worry, the magic is unstable because of the portal but it won't harm you." The goddess stalked inside, regal despite the mini electrical storm brewing at the hem of her jacket. "To get to the Unseen realm, we must first cross Valhalla, it serves as a stepping stone." Swallowing thickly, Hope activated the portal and inhaled sharply when instead of fuzzy, indeterminate images, a crystal clear gateway opened. To his dismay, the fiery edges of the oval portal expanded, dissolving parts of the room.

"We need to hurry," he bowed politely to Cosmos, ushering her inside the glowing gate, "your divine presence is stabilizing the gate, but on the downside, my laboratory will be destroyed." Cosmos offered him a placid smile before stepping through the portal, leaving behind the steamy interior of the tiny room for a crisp and cold atmosphere. Hope joined her, his body flickering at the edges. He gaped at Valhalla before regaining his composure and sweeping a pale hand in front of him.

"Welcome to Valhalla," he announced. "...This is my first time coming here."

* * *

Opening his eyes, Snow groaned and pulled to his feet.

Opposite him stood Kuja, wearing a conniving smile on his face.

"You can't have everyone knowing what is on your mind," the genome chided, a glint in his eyes and Snow swallowed bile. "Most of us are unhappy with Shinryu's domineering rule, why, I hardly have time to groom myself," the genome said and shrugged his shoulders theatrically. "You have to try harder Snow; you don't want your precious memories of Serah to disappear do you?" Kuja's grinned venomously and the human looked away.

"And what of your agenda?" Snow asked and flexed his fingers, none cracked, good. "You are always slinking in the shadows, you manipulative moron." The genome crossed his arms over his petite chest, an indulgent smile plastered for Snow's benefit. "Wipe that smile off your face before I smash it into your perfect teeth!" the blonde hissed angrily.

Twirling an index finger, Kuja laughed. "Are you _threatening me_?" he asked and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

A row of bright magic circles grew in size. "I don't have time for you," the genome's voice dropped and the magic circles exploded against the elevator, rendering it into a hunk of metal, melted glass and burning velvet. "Make sure you get the God's crystal...Or-"

"Or what?" Snow challenged.

"Do whatever you want to do." Kuja tossed over his shoulder right before disappearing into a portal.

* * *

The bridge between the real world and the Unseen Realm resembled a metropolis of sort. Bare feet firmly rooted on a platform of light, Cosmos gazed at the two halves of the Unseen Realm; in one, a city shifted through the ages, the architecture ever changing and flitting from one period of time to the other. The goddess witnessed great cathedrals, their domes glimmering under a grey sky. This changed to flat rooftops and white, square buildings, dazzling under a noonday sun. Time surged, the simple buildings changed, growing, their surfaces composed of chrome and glass and collapsing again into a city roofed in gold and silver.

Turning, she surveyed the other side of Valhalla, an empty void stretched endlessly, only a strip of cyan blue light served as a guide to the Void within. The blackness reminded her of the Cloud of Darkness and the faint rippling of water reached her ears. Pointing to the ocean of nothingness, Hope elaborated. "The souls of both humans and deities come to Valhalla to be judged, from here, they enter the Void," he swept his palm meaningfully and rotated to the distant city, "or the Unseen Realm. Lightning currently resides in there; she is looking after the souls of the dead."

"A noble work," Cosmos commented and paused when the male gritted his teeth. "I shall be alright on my own." She indicated to the collapsing portal. "You should go back, trespassing the land of the dead shall have great consequences to your body."

Steel eyed, Hope led the way, politely acknowledging the goddess' concern. "I want to see Lightning," he firmly stated, his boots shimmering on the bridge of light. "I want to know if she is alright."

They crossed Valhalla, the edge of the metropolis seemed to fold in on itself as Cosmos and Hope journeyed to the Unseen realm. By now, Hope glowed, the edges of his materialistic form breaking down. Holding his hand to anchor him, Cosmos teleported to the highest point accessible and drew a sharp breath.

A world of Crystal.

In the governing area of the Unseen Realm, a pantheon of crystal surrounded a cocoon. Walls of ice white and blue glass protectively cradled its goddess with a shock of pink hair and beneath her lay a giant, rectangular table of flawless marble. On top of the marble, lay a gigantic, ragged crystal. Taking note of the Crystal, Cosmos let go of Hope's hand and balanced herself on the table.

She summoned Cierr Harmonia, whispering an apology to the comatose figure within.

And then she tore into the glass cocoon.

* * *

**A/N:** It's grey, it's wet and it's probably gonna flood. Probably. Much thanks to all those who read and reviewed. I hope this chapter inspires courage like Hope. Be like Hope, go out there and do something frightening that will challenge the way you think about yourself. DO THINGS!

Okay, passive aggressive motivation over.

At Nonny: I like conspiracy theories, read a whole bunch of them and still do. But the government feeding us insects is a bit...far fetched. I mean farms are springing up everywhere and yeah, our main source of protein will still be meat. Lol, my hair has been turning white since I was in the sixth grade, when I was twelve, it's also due to premature whitening from my mom's side. My older bro and I have it, his hair is salt and pepper and he's thirty, mine is getting there...slowly but surely. I like mythos, when I was young, I used to here my parent's skewed version of Hindu creation and god/goddess myths. I heard Kali had a husband, had no idea it was Shiva. Also I heard she bit on her tongue after she realized her carnage and the fact she was stepping on Shiva, apparently that's why her tongue hangs out. Hwit eating CoD isn't gonna have any effect and although I use eat, it's more of atomic disassociation where the atoms unravel and material becomes microscopic matter.

Lol, got a bit too much into physics with that one.


	17. Focus on the Mission

**Focus On the Mission**

A hand clamped on Cosmos' throat, choking her.

Briefly marveling at the power thrumming in the individual's veins, Cosmos tore another gash into the layers of protective crystal, her breath escaped in clouds and she saw her warrior. The latter's eyelids fluttered open sluggishly and the vise grip on the goddess' throat renewed in intensity.

"Who dares to break my slumber?"

The voice thundered, low and ominous and cracking the marble table Cosmos stood on. Impressed, the goddess stood back as a pink-haired woman wakened, smashing her crystal prison into smithereens. The floor twinkled with shards of broken glass and the God Crystal throbbed louder. Pulsing angrily.

Weak at his knees, Hope watched Lightning emerge and breathed a sigh of relief and joy, said feeling became short lived when Lightning whipped her Blazefire Sabre and flicked her blade at Cosmos.

Dancing out of the blade's lethal reach, Cosmos parried several strikes to her face and chest. Metal rang on metal and Lightning's battle dress whirled artfully around her as she lashed, hammering her blade against Cierr Harmonia, lips pressed into a determined line. Jumping back, she raised her arm to the sky and bursts of forked lightning converged on Cosmos. In the storm of thunder and broken crystal, Lightning heard Hope scream and wondered what he did here. _How_ did they infiltrate the Unseen Realm? She deliberated and her blade transformed. Targeting her white robed enemy, she ripped a hail of bullets and lowered her smoking gun when the woman effortlessly deflected them all.

"Who are you?" Lightning questioned, senses all on guard. The transition from comatose sleep to awakening had been unpleasant. Governing the Unseen Realm kept her entire existence occupied and only the thought of Serah motivated her to accept the wretched proposal of living her eternal life in a crystal stasis. Thinking about her sister opened fresh wounds of misery and determined not to have any other people taken away from her; she marched to Hope and stood protectively in front of the taller male. Shooting him an irritated glance, Lightning studied the figure in white...where?

"_Cosmos?_"

"What are you doing here?" The warrior, relaxing her guard, demanded. Her mind see-sawed from one event to the other. "Why did you wake me from my sleep?" Lightning asked, her tone softer as she sheathed her Blazefire Sabre. "I apologize for firing without knowing, I considered you as a threat." She rested her eyes slightly to the left of Cosmos' shoulder; no amount of guilt will force her to stare at her own boot clad feet.

Gesturing to the God Crystal, Cosmos collapsed her scythe. "I wanted your permission to take this Crystal." Lightning's eyebrows joined her hairline. "A war rages in the outside world and I have been stripped of power. I am journeying to regain the fragments I bestowed on my warriors and this Crystal garnered my attention," the goddess explained.

"You woke me up for THIS?" Lightning crossed her arms over an armor clad chest and jerked her chin at the God Crystal. "You didn't need my permission, it is yours to keep." She muttered under her breath and smiled at Hope who beamed at her. "This war, is it affecting Cocoon?" She asked and Cosmos replied in a negative. "...I'll return to my sleep," she announced much to Hope's dismay. "If Cocoon is ever in danger," Lightning half turned, her words directed at the male, "you know where to find me."

"Tucked away in the Unseen Realm, almost untouched by anything or anybody. You have a sweet deal, Lightning."

Snow materialized into view, suit immaculate and hair unkempt, he hovered over the God Crystal and as Cosmos lunged for it, he froze her legs. In response, she set his sleeves on fire but the blonde merely shook the magic off. Wearing a grim smile, Snow plucked the Crystal from the table top and held it protectively.

Hissing threats, Lightning dove for him, her blade whistling through the air, clucking his tongue displeasedly, Snow stepped out of the way as a scream tore through the room. The Warrior stopped, her smoldering gaze directed to a neon green Manikin holding Hope by his shock of white hair. "So you have wakened." Snow's lip curled dispassionately and his eyes flickered to Cosmos and Cierr Harmonia, humming angrily. "You are at a disadvantage here," he emphasized his position by nodding to his manikin; the demon dangled Hope in the air. "I want to bargain," the man addressed Cosmos who narrowed her eyes, "this Crystal contains the sleeping form of Bhunivelze and you need it." Snow held the goddess' gaze evenly. "I will give it to you in exchange for Lightning."

"Please don't do it," Hope whispered through the pain rocketing across his scalp. His turquoise eyes swiveled to Snow. "No one is going to die here today," he stated with forced authority, "you have a job to do, please return to your realm and do it. I'm sick and tired of this fighting."

His pleas fell on deaf ears.

Holding the Crystal aloft, Snow demanded once more, "Either Lightning steps over, or I will waken Bhunivelze. This is _his_ realm; the two of you will be hard pressed to fight a God in its governing space. No matter how powerful you are Lightning," the blonde rasped, "you cannot best a God."

"Do your worst," the Warrior spat, her fingers curled over the sword hilt. "I will cut both him and you down, both of you will beg for mercy."

Listening to the verbal wars raging around her. Cosmos kept her eyes on the God Crystal. A selfish God resided in there and she shook her head at the irony. Bhunivelze, a perfectionist with little regard and compassion for humans, yet, those very humans sustained him. A smile played on the edges of her lips. Shinryu often stressed that she be an impartial observer, letting history play its course.

Now, the events arrived at a crossroads and she glimpsed where each path may lead. Bhunivelze, manipulative and childish, needed to be taught a lesson. Unlike the Astrals and their noble dignity, this deity, stripped himself of all grace and decorum to became a blighted eyesore.

Hovering above the ranting Snow and his aloft Crystal, Cosmos slammed the edge of her palm on the ragged surface and a perfect crack traveled down the oval disc. The emerald green shimmered brightly, Snow sputtered indignantly and let go as the essence of the God, locked into the Crystal in two, ethereal shapes, leaked and manifested.

The surrounds changed; the table repaired itself and Bhunivelze hovered above it, ice-cold eyes scornfully looking down on the demi-humans. He regarded Hope like an insect before his attention shifted to the woman clad in white and gold.

Bhunivelze swallowed inaudibly and bowed with some difficulty. "Lady Cosmos," he rumbled, "it is a pleasure to be in your presence, I thought you were asleep."

The lady beamed brightly and the God gravitated away from her blinding brightness. "Do not lump myself with you," she stated, her tone sharp. "Whilst you sleep and pass your work on a human, Shinryu wreaks havoc, the Astrals have answered to me and now I shall use your power to boost my own." Bhunivelze respectfully lowered himself and Cierr Harmonia clanged. "It is rude to interrupt a conversation, Snow Villiers." She spun around, irises blazing. "I gave you the opportunity to walk away, but you have no choice do you?"

His expression flitted, from regret to sorrow and finally cementing to a mixture of anger and burning resolve. "No, I don't have a choice. I came here to accomplish a goal, I will either do it, or die along the way."

In the crater studded plains of the Void, Exdeath and Ultimecia surveyed Snow's progress. The time witch clenched her beast hands and snorted whilst the armor clad tree silently watched. The battle between the demi-human and Cosmos did not go very far, the goddess' irises often flickered to the screen and the duo's stomach roiled unpleasantly. A creeping feeling that Cosmos observed them, settled on their shoulders and unable to bear the one-sided fight, Exdeath pulled away from the smoke screen and brooded.

He gave Snow specific instructions NOT to destroy the Crystal. Destroying the God Crystal will unleash another God and although this one seemed reluctant to share his power with Cosmos, it will be a matter of time before she subjugated him by force. The tree thought deeply, Snow was to get rid of both the Warrior and the Crystal, what changed his mind?

The listless form of Kam'lanaut and Vayne lounged around him. Very few of the chaos Warriors were left and he worried. Sephiroth and Kuja took off; personal agenda shining clearly through their faces and here, the armored tree paused to think.

...Kuja!

"That _manipulative scoundrel!_"

Rising to his feet in a clink of metal, he resolved to chase the genome and bring him in for questioning. But did Kuja have the free will to oppose Shinryu? Striding back to the smoke screen, Exdeath grimaced.

He felt sorry for Snow...well, as sorry as a being such as _he _can be.

* * *

Lightning kept a hawk eyed watch on Bhunivelze, who was fascinated by the way Cosmos, known for her gentleness and mercy, beat the ever living life out of Snow.

"You do not die easily," she commented disturbingly causally, panting slightly and pushing a strand of hair from her sweaty forehead. "I do not wish to do this, Snow."

"Unfortunately for both of us," he drawled, smiling despite blood trickling down his stubbled cheek. "You will be doing me a favor; I don't wanna go back to that Void place again."

He grabbed Cosmos by her upper arm, squeezing the golden armlet painfully. Throwing her, Snow leapt as she elegantly back flipped and braced against the opposite wall. Jacket flaring, the goddess scythed through Snow's chest and whirled her blade above her head. A crackling crescent of energy honed on the male and despite his shredded suit, he refused to die. "Come on!" He pumped his fist. "Is this the best you can do?"

The duel came to a standstill.

Bleeding and panting, Snow glared defiantly, still full of _life_; opposite him, Cosmos stood tall, the edges of her jackets ragged and singed. She spun her weapon and struck it, blade first, on the crystal ground. Snow followed the blade as it bit into the ragged floor, he watched, vision deteriorating every second till the cloudy forms of Cosmos, Lightning and another person whose name he could not recall, stared back at him.

"_What?!_" he rasped, hand jerking to his throat. Was his voice this frail? He blinked repeatedly, willing for the goddess' image to sharpen. Annoyed by the featureless stares, he dove for the fuchsia haired demi-human and pain resonated in every bone and muscle. "W-What's happening to me?" he demanded irately and brought shaking hands up to his face. Deep lines scored his palms, the nails were ragged and yellow. Skin hung in folds around his neck, his forearms and spots nestled in the wrinkles. Gone were his immaculate shoes and suit, only grey rags concealed his barely hidden dignity. "You aged me..." Snow whispered, voice like cracked glass.

Sweat beaded Cosmos' head, millenniums passed and yet, Snow stood, stubborn as any weed. He sagged further and further, eyes sinking in his sockets, hair falling like feathers around him. Remaining upright on matchstick legs, he fixed his gaze at Lightning till he breathed his last.

And the corpse toppled, shattering itself and the crystal floor.

Breathing a sigh of relief, the goddess swept Snow's remnants together and scattered it into the wind. The trail of silver wound its way to Valhalla and she massaged her forehead when Lightning stepped up and observed the great Void. "Is it over?" she asked, something akin to sadness flashed in her irises and when Cosmos faced her, the Warrior's emotions lay under a layer of professional calm.

"I am afraid this is only the beginning," Cosmos announced and turned around. "Bhunivelze, will you willingly return to your crystal and grant your power to my own?"

Floating silently, the God considered the small, panting figure of Cosmos and hovered off the table, to the left, a nameless human massaged its scalp, picking crusted blood off his hair. To the right, his successor, Lightning seemed to have no interest in helping the goddess and taking in Cosmos' hallowed appearance, Bhunivelze lowered himself to her height.

"Of course not," he rumbled and floated upwards, forcing Cosmos to crane her neck. "You fight a losing war Lady Cosmos. I refuse my power," the God haughtily sniffed, "and you are in no position to demand it from me."

Fingers tightening on Cierr Harmonia's handle, Cosmos' eyes spat fire. "Yes..." she concurred. "_I_ am in no position to fight you, but who decreed that _I_ will be facing you?" Bhunivelze gritted his teeth when Lightning unsheathed her sword. "My Warrior, Lightning Farron, will be my representative and force you into submission." A cruel smile played on the goddess' lips. "Surrender before your humiliating defeat at the hands of a human!" she thundered.

However, Bhunivelze did not heed.

He fought desperately, surprised at the power Lightning possessed.

She acrobatically twirled out of his reach, storms of water and ice and fire did absolutely nothing. The higher the God soared, the more determined Lightning became to bring him down. Her bullets never failed to gouge a piece of his flesh and hating her with every inch of his will power, Bhunivelze summoned death.

An individual, cloaked in silks of grey, rose soundlessly behind Lightning and hesitated. It turned, bowed awkwardly to Cosmos and disappeared into a puff of smoke.

Cracking his staff, Bhunivelze cast them down, each fragment transformed into a glowing spear and honed on the Warrior, the spears froze in mid-air and clanged uselessly to the ground. Shiva, blue skinned witch, blew the God a mischievous kiss before melting into a tidal wave. The wave soared at Cosmos' command, bearing Lightning aloft. The shadow of Ramuh appeared at her shoulder, his majestic beard flowing like a cloud and golden staff crackling with raging lightning.

Bhunivelze sneaked a glance at Cosmos, the imminent defeat weighed heavily on his shoulders. He tasted disappointment yet again. The goddess looked ahead impassively, no emotion swirled on her face.

Thunder rumbled in the chamber, Lightning descended, her Blazefire Sabre slicing from the top of the God's face. Ramuh steadied her grip and lightning tore the cut open.

Crystals shattered and flew; deadly projectiles and Hope took cover under the scorched, marble table.

Bhunivelze roared, spewing water, fire and unraveling reason.

The Warrior's arms shook as her thoughts scattered but holding on to Serah's fading memories, she sliced the God in two neat halves and with no Astral to anchor her, rocketed backwards, crashing into a column of crystal.

Not one to stay down, Lightning jumped to her feet and shielded her eyes from the fulgent light bleeding from Bhunivelze. His lingering, wrath distorted features burned her retinas and the image dissolved. The God Crystal reformed, perfect save for a scratch running across the middle.

Crystal crushed underfoot, Cosmos glided to the table and picked up the God Crystal, power bled in her veins, wholesome and overbearing, like a glacial wind. Away from her, Lightning helped Hope from under the table and he helplessly stared at the mess.

"Is it over?" Hope whispered to the silence and stiffened slightly when Cosmos nodded. The fragments of the God Crystal glittered on her fingertips. "What happens now?"

"You go back," Lightning gave him a little push in Cosmos' direction. "And I return to my sleep. You are not allowed here Hope, your living body cannot bear the conditions of the Unseen Realm," she chided good naturedly and kicked larger pieces of crystal away with her boot.

At a loss for words, Hope studied the dilapidated chamber, when he first stepped in; the walls of crystal reflected his image many times over, clearly defining his crumbling, physical body and anxious visage. Now, the little nubs and stubs broke his reflection into many shapes, parts of the dark blue crystal failed to show his reflection at all. "You don't have to stay here," he stated. "Come back to Cocoon, you can help with the Academy," he pleaded; but Lightning refused to look at him and instead, studied her crystal chrysalis intently.

"Go home Hope," she mounted the scorched table, "I do not belong in Cocoon and you don't belong here. You are delaying Cosmos, she needs to leave." Lightning paused at the head of the table and smiled softly. "Go home and make it a better place, I have a duty to watch over the souls here and I have Serah to keep me company."

Hope's reasoning died on his tongue, Lady Cosmos and Lightning shared a knowing look between them and suddenly, a warm hand engulfed his cold one. The blood in his veins felt like ice.

* * *

The Unseen Realm retracted, sucking the breath out of his chest as it zoomed far away, an every changing city with domes of gold and silver.

With flat rooftops and sunbaked bricks. A city of stone cathedrals, bells and marble angels. They were back in Valhalla again and Hope wondered about Snow. Where did the blonde god go? To the Unseen Realm, to be watched by Lightning and live in eternal peace; or to the Void, to be torn apart my demons lurking in the deep?

A glowing portal, ever expanding and showing the insides of Hope's mangled office, flickered in the middle of Valhalla and yelping, Hope tore across the silent courtyard and leapt through it.

The orange circle collapsed instantaneously.

Standing in front of the non-existing portal, Cosmos raised a hand to the space, the living world thrummed beneath her fingers. She sensed Hope's confusion and panic as he tried to open the portal again, worried for the goddess.

Smoothing the fabric of the unseen over, she spun on her heel and faced the Void, a tear in the seamless ebony showed her a place with dim, mellow lights and creaking music.

She glimpsed a man, wearing a tattered cloak and sipping a glass of strong spirits. He wore a pensive frown and the expression reminded her of one of her Warriors.

Without thinking too much, Cosmos stepped into the tear and the ground fell from beneath her feet.

* * *

**A/N:** Apologies for the late update; I was busy visiting family and family is always important. Lightning...love that kick-ass lady, even if I've never played the games. Anyway, read and review people, it's hot here and the constant flitting from one place to the other melted my brains.

At Nonny: My editor was the one who suggested the moogle companion. Hwit is part of Shinryu who still want's to help Cosmos, therefore he is going out of his way to make sure his pupil gets a fair fighting chance. Hwit takes the form of a moogle because he is also severely limited in power and he can fly. Lightning wakes up and starts fighting against Cosmos. Not sure if I over did her personality but I like her fierceness and pride. They should make more female characters with her mindset.


	18. One Winged angel

**One Winged Angel**

All parts of the world are connected, through corridors unseen to most eyes. In the Void proper, Cosmos created a tree of light and the fruit granted her safe passage from one realm to the other. She recalled times when the door, set into the tree's copper trunk, refused to open, thus alerting her to some danger or inconvenience. As the goddess bounced through tunnels of endless black, she lost feeling in her legs and arms. Slightly alarmed, she searched for a source of light, clinging tightly to the image shown in the tear.

As charcoal surroundings fell away, Cosmos thudded on top of a wooden counter and several people shrieked. A glass cracked and the dim lights burned her retina. She squinted. Chairs creaked and when she opened her eyes, Cosmos stared at the ominous end of a tri-barreled gun. Her blue gaze traveled up the silver weapon and rested on the individual's hand.

Or lack of one.

A metal gauntlet finger fastened around gun's trigger. The rest of it held the rather large weapon with practiced ease. Lightheaded from the unorthodox travel, Cosmos raised herself on one arm, her fingers stained cherry red by a puddle of wine. With her free hand she reached for the gauntlet.

Bronze, like Hwit's claws.

Bronze, like the armored scales protecting Shinryu's body.

Thinking about her mentor brought on a surge of anger and grief. The man with the tattered cape regained his composure and forcibly pressed his gun on Cosmos' chest. Gold accents met bronze, his finger pressed against the trigger and the hammer eased back.

"Vincent, don't!" Tifa, alarmed at the goddess crashing on her counter, warned. "It's Lady Cosmos, please help her up and let's listen to what she has to say."

Half nodding to Tifa, Vincent retracted his gun and moved away, melting into the shadows cast by the bar lights. Cosmos hauled to her feet, she observed the startled drinkers and more than one of them fled, praying for mercy. The others leered at the goddess openly and Tifa declared the bar closed.

"Have a seat," the girl gestured to the leather lined barstools at the counter and Cosmos plopped down as the bar emptied out. "I suppose you are looking for Cloud?" Vincent twitched and the lady nodded, thinking about her Crystal. "I'm afraid he is out making deliveries," Tifa said, "while we wait, why don't I whip a drink for you? Would you like anything specific?"

Cosmos shook her head and eyed the tinted bottles proudly displayed behind Tifa. She doubted any material drink could rival nectar, the drink of the gods.

* * *

Edge, a metropolis infringing upon the decaying remains of Shinra, grew daily. The city, a mismatch of greenery and metal, appeared ugly at first glance but Cloud grew to love the city and his friends molded with their very hands. Every now and then, a deep, unsettling melancholy crept into his chest and settled there, purring comfortably and drawing him to the depths of his nightmares, when this happened, Cloud liked to stop whatever he did and stare at the horizon of Edge. He cast his old life behind, determined not to let anything drag him down again. At this time of the day, high noon, dust shimmered in the air. Rust set in on almost every metallic pole or spoke and added to the growing levels of red sand. Far away, he narrowed his irises against Midgar, a skeleton of metal and large pipes and his mind wandered to Zack-

"MISTER!" A childish voice pierced his ear drums and Cloud scowled, before remembering to plaster a smile on his face. "The balloons mister!" the girl demanded, her curly hair bouncing indignantly, "they aren't gonna blow up themselves." She tapped her foot impatiently on the concrete and waited for him.

Still smiling, Cloud filled the long balloon with helium and offered to her. "Happy Birthday," he chirped and tried to wave her away, alas, she examined the pastel pink balloon critically and handed it back to him.

"Make me a doggy!" she said and expectantly looked at him. Exasperatedly adjusting the peak cap jammed on his head, Cloud gave the balloon a hard look and under the anticipated stares of a small crowd of children, he twisted the long balloon into shape. The kids chattered excitedly, pointing and shoving for a better view. Twisting the balloon for the fifth time, Cloud winced when the latex popped loudly in his hands.

His mako infused eyes zoomed on to the birthday girl and he noted her normal, brown irises grow wide. At a loss, he grabbed a second balloon, filled it with helium and breathed in the gas. Tears at the corner of her eyes and thinking desperately, he spoke: "Hello, I'm Cloud, and I'm sorry I can't make a balloon doggy."

Several of the older ones cringed and whisked away, the younger children giggled uncontrollably and swarmed over him, demanding him to teach them the trick. Wading through the sea of grabby hands, Cloud bent to the birthday girl, who laughed uncontrollably and frisked his pockets for candy. Marlene and Denzel always wanted some at the oddest of times and it became a habit to store pieces of sticky confectionery in every outfit pocket. Retrieving a strawberry flavored chewing gum from the back of his bright blue overalls, he offered it to her and she sniffed. "I'll teach you how to make funny voices, but I'm not going to make more balloon animals." Nearby, a clown drove around in a gaudy buggy and he glared at it, feeling tired for reasons unknown. The girl grabbed his hand and he frowned. "Where are we going?" Cloud asked as she determinedly ploughed over concrete and knee high grass.

The birthday party took place in a small field paved with halved concrete slabs and overgrown grass. The family attempted to hack the grass into a respectable lawn, but it seems they gave up half way. Adults clustered at the far end, exchanging solemn news whilst teens lounged some feet away, gazing around them dispassionately. Only the children injected fire into the party and as Cloud followed the birthday girl around and blanched at the approaching buggy, he fumbled for his phone, waiting for another call to delivery.

Unfortunately, the phone remained blank and mocking.

"Here we are," The girl exclaimed cheerfully and pointed to the clown. "This is Donald the clown," she introduced the balding, middle aged man sweating underneath layers of white make-up. "Donald," the child turned, "this is Cloud, from now on, he's going to be your brother and make funny voices." Donald smiled a strained smile whilst Cloud studied him intently.

Sensing the girl's attention on him, Cloud finally nodded. "Fantastic," he droned and squeezed into the buggy, "I've always wanted a clown for a brother."

"See!" The girl clapped her hands enthusiastically and twirled. "I made your wish come true!" Still chirping, she bounced down the sidewalk to inform her friends of the act and the group of children shot the buggy shifty glances before surging away to a distant part of the field.

Donald climbed in the buggy and hooted loudly much to Cloud's annoyance. "Drop me at the edge of the field over there," he said and pointed towards the gate, "I have other stuff to take care of."

"But the children-" the clown started and relented when the blonde whipped his phone out.

"I've got another delivery," Cloud stated, failing to keep the glee out of his voice. The colorful, eyesore of a buggy lurched towards the gate and he streaked out whilst the children screamed behind him. Feeling rather guilty, he located the remains of a dilapidated building, sneaked into a foyer winking with ghostly lights and changed back into his accustomed black leather and sunglasses. Comfortable and himself, Cloud swung a leg over his bike, Fenrir, and gunned the engine. The message on his phone alarmed him and he quickly served on the dirt road.

'_Lady Cosmos is here_' Tifa texted, '_and she wants to see you._'

* * *

Miles and miles of wasteland blurred past, powered by Cosmos' Crystal, Fenrir blazed across the sandy roads, leaving a dust cloud in its wake. Lost in thought and wondering if the goddess needed him to enlist for another battle, Cloud failed to notice a dark shape hovering behind him. An ominous dread slid down the back of his throat and he swallowed nervously. Pulling his glasses off, he spun around and nearly fell off his bike.

Hovering roughly two meters above him and shedding ebony feathers, smiled Sephiroth.

The cruel upturn of his lips reminded Cloud of all things wrong. It brought a phantom pain in his chest and all his old scars sung a painful symphony together, this man; the one responsible for every suffering Cloud endured, now he hung above him, resplendent like an angel of death.

Slamming his hand on a button, the blonde spun his bike around and pushed down on the pedal. Fenrir roared and leapt across debris strewn fields. The holster opened and Cloud seized a second to admire the way his fusion blades fanned before him, they reflected the sun, hurting his eyes. Selecting a slim blade and testing its weight, he lunged for the flying Sephiroth and cursed when the latter soared out of his reach, still wearing that _inane_ smile. Bringing the bike closer, Cloud attempted to hack the wing off. His weapon struck through feathers and reached bone. Grabbing on the sword tightly, he dragged Sephiroth along with him and immediately let go when the bike sputtered.

Fenrir gurgled and Cloud stared at the small flames licking across the dashboard.

He rolled off, bouncing on the pebbly ground and leaving bloody drops.

The bike careered for several meters before exploding in a blinding fireball.

Pulling to his feet, Cloud wiped blood from his face and broke into a run when he missed the presence of Sephiroth, he must be after the Crystal. Cursing his ill luck, he dodged a stab to his head and parried another to his stomach; diving for his nemesis, who took to the skies, the blonde stood helplessly, brows furrowed in anger and glared at the sphere cradled in Sephiroth's gloved palm.

"It reminds me of the Lifestream," the older male announced, eyes reflecting the aurora dancing in Cosmos' Crystal. "The goddess seeks this," he nodded to the sphere, "it is a fragment of her power-"

"And you will give it back!" Cloud snarled, he salvaged his fusion blades whilst Sephiroth mooned over the crystal, and slotted the pieces together. Jumping, he aimed to slice the former soldier's arms off but a charcoal wing blocked his progress. Several gashes appeared on the wing, long lines dripping blood, but the flimsy appendage refused to yield.

"It is rude to interrupt one talking," Sephiroth smoothly voiced, his expression scornful. "Do you think you can take this from me?" he taunted, holding the Crystal aloft. Cloud struck again and his blade met Masamune. The ring of steel on steel echoed in the barren desert and bounced off cliffs of sand. Kicking Cloud, Sephiroth watched the blonde rocket back to the ground, satisfied when the younger man was slow to get up.

He crushed the Crystal.

The bar, drained of people save for Tifa's friends, twinkled merrily. Vincent, coaxed out of the shadows, pored over his phone, wondering why something this fragile, could be so expensive. He disliked mobile phones but unfortunately, the rest of the crew used them and Yuffie (he shuddered at the name) pestered him non-stop should he, Chaos forbid, miss a call from her. The screen lit up, he poked it experimentally and felt a tug on his finger.

Why a goddess found his bronze gauntlet so fascinating was a question only she could answer.

Cosmos looped her fingers through Vincent's bronze ones. Cold. Did he feel anything through this metal arm of his?

"No."

Lifting his arm, Cosmos laid it down on the bar's polished surface. "How did you lose your arm?" she asked and waited patiently for an answer, when none came, she gently queried again. "I sense Chaos' essence within you," his visage grew dark and threatening, "how did you become a vessel for his power?"

Nervously polishing a wine glass and sensing the storm brewing in Vincent's mind, Tifa explained. "He is a victim of experiments," she smiled when he tucked his chin in the collar of his tattered, blood red cloak. "We found Vinne in a coffin in the basement of a mansion..." the rest of Tifa's words drowned in the roar of ichor in Cosmos' ears. She shot to her feet, swaying unsteadily and knocked over a barstool. The leather and metal chair clattered loudly to the floor, drawing Marlene and Denzel to the front. Grasping a fistful of her fair hair, the goddess shook her head wildly and electricity crackled around her. Protectively moving in front of Tifa and the children, Vincent trained Cerberus on her. Chaos' demons thrummed in his veins, they pushed against his skin, demanding to be let out and tear the entity in front of him into pieces.

"Is she..." Marlene squeaked when a bolt of ice soared from Cosmos' fingers and smashed a wine bottle. "Will she be alright?" the girl asked, looping her arms around Tifa's waist. "She looks like she's in pain, we have to help her."

Memories of Gaia flashed by.

_The planet gave freely to its inhabitants, supplying them with raw energy. Vents across the world spewed lime green auroras and the humans harvested them greedily. The Cetra, a race attuned with the earth, were hunted to extinction and in the bid for more power, humans experimented with the genes of a planet killing species._

Jenova..._Mother._

_Super soldiers rose from wombs of humans, losing their minds in the process. They struggled to find their place and Jenova preyed on their insecurities. One became a vehicle, a dangerous demi-god able to wipe out Gaia by summoning a meteor. No shred of humanity dwelled within him; the one winged angel existed solely to carry out his revenge._

"Are you all right?" Tifa's gentle voice blurred from beneath a canyon and Cosmos opened her eyes to a cozy room. "We are under 7th Heaven," the woman explained and smiled reassuringly, "this is our home." She pressed a glass of water to Cosmos' lips and the goddess gulped a drink of sweet water. "Cloud will be here soon," Tifa frowned, unsure of her words, "he's taking long but I suppose he's caught up in his deliveries."

"It never takes this long." Vincent said, his eyes trained to the door.

The power of Cloud's Crystal vanished, Cosmos failed to sense the latter's pain, sorrow and eventual acceptance. The vanishing left behind a void and jumbled memories.

The one winged angel absorbed her power and briefly, the goddess marveled at his audacity.

Rising to her feet, she marched to the door, jacket rustling with each step. "I must leave," Cosmos announced when Tifa called for her. "You are in danger...a_ll_ of you," her bright blue irises settled on a picture of Cloud. He frowned in the photograph with Marlene on his lap and Tifa and Denzel at his shoulders. "Sephiroth, a Warrior of Chaos has absorbed my power." Tifa swallowed at the mention of Sephiroth and Vincent narrowed his eyes. "I need to pry my power out of him, please, move out of the way."

"No."

Tifa hurried to Vincent's side and lowered his gun. "We fought him before," she said. "Don't underestimate us; if he is coming after you," she pounded her fist in a hand meaningfully, "we're going to give him an event he won't forget easily." Shushing all of Denzel's questions with a stern, motherly look, Tifa ushered Cosmos and Vincent upstairs. "If he's going to come and destroy something, he'd rather destroy my bar instead of our home." Shutting the door carefully behind her, she inhaled deeply and followed Cosmos' stately pace up the stairs.

* * *

Absorbing light felt like being pelted by a thousand meteors.

Where did everything go wrong?

He was a celebrated soldier...his friends...

Friends?

Sephiroth's wing stretched before him and the ebony feathers marbled into black and white. Fascinated by the change, he experimentally twirled Masamune. The long sword carved through the air and a crescent blade of silver energy leapt from it, demolishing a nearby cliff; the burning remains of Fenrir, spewed smoke in the air and he willed the motorcycle into non-existence.

Cloud choked when the motorbike disappeared in front of him, he spent a fortune buying Fenrir and another small fortune constantly upgrading it. Maintaining the leather and fusion blade holsters cost him more than a few lunches. Grabbing his sword, he jumped after Sephiroth, the weight of unfairness heavy on his shoulders. The ex-Soldier grinned enigmatically, swerved out of the way and brought his sword in a horizontal slash. Cloud barely escaped with his abdomen intact. The tip of Masamune sliced through Cloud's jacket and teased a pearl of blood, flicking the blood off, Sephiroth haughtily sheathed his sword and teleported.

"Get back here!" the blonde shouted to no one in particular. Frustration drove him to kick at the sand uselessly, angrily checking his phone, he groaned when the 'no network' message popped on screen. Miles of wasteland surrounded him, nothing but red, gold and sandstone cliffs.

* * *

**A/N:** After playing Crisis Core, I felt sorry for Sephiroth. Poor guy, so disillusioned, so desperate for Mother's approval, he went mad. Or so the story goes. Crisis Core made be bawl like a baby. I've got exam tests coming up, does anyone like those? No? Good. But we have them so might as well grit my teeth and put it past me. Anyway, read and review people, add fuel to my dwindling flames...

At Nonny: I like Ashe. I thought Snow was a hard core villain till I read his character profile and turns out, he's not so bad so I had to adjust. Bhuni? IDK why I laughed so much at that, the next time I have a cat, I'm naming it after Bhuni the asshole. Having Lightning defeat him was to add salt to his wounds. He is so unworthy that Cosmos refuses to fight him and uses Lightning instead.


	19. Fate is Cruel

**Fate Is Cruel**

The creeping feeling of dread dancing up and down Tifa's spine forced her to barricade 7th Heaven's main doors. She knew the stools and furniture piled behind the glass and wood trimmed gates will do little to deter Sephiroth, but pushing them gave her something to do and it kept her mind off things. If anything, Sephiroth would rather make a grand entrance from the roof, by tearing it apart and hovering above it, like the entitled god he thinks he is. Her eyes roamed over the ceiling, stopping at a gold gilded chandelier she installed not less than two months ago. It's a pity such an elaborate fixture would meet a violent and premature end.

Music hummed in the bar, strings and a saxophone seeming out of place in such a somber mood. Cosmos paced, hood drawn low over her head. Every ten steps, she stopped, glanced at the roof and resumed. Piling the last barstool over a mountain of chairs and table legs, Tifa wiped palms on her skirt and turned the music off. She brightened the room and Vincent pulled away from the gleaming counter, he fiddled with Cerberus, his red eyes swinging like a pendulum and following the goddess' every move.

The ticking of an ancient clock sounded deafeningly loud.

"He is comin-"

Cosmos did not get to finish her sentence; she sprang out of the way when a smoking meteor tore through the roof. Metal squealed, the concrete blasted into chunks, spearing the wine bottles and spraying musty liquid everywhere. A dull grey boulder crashed in the middle of the establishment. Running to the jagged hole in the roof, Vincent ripped a hail of bullets and Tifa vaulted on the smoking meteor, lips pressed into a determined line, she jumped through and came face to chest with Sephiroth.

Against her will, her attention pulled to his marbled wing. The white and black melted beautifully together; chaos and order.

Purity and _sin_.

Blocking the initial strike, she dove back through the hole, hoping Sephiroth would follow. After tearing another oblong into the roof, the one winged angel descended, mako infused eyes gravitating towards Cosmos. Sephiroth did not let his boots touch the ground, he hooked Masamune's blade tip on the goddess' jacket hood and flipped it back, smiling smugly.

Cierr Harmonia materialized in a blinding flash of light and soared towards Sephiroth, forcing him back a respectable distance. He toyed with the godly scythe, reading its patterns and movements before sending it spinning back towards Cosmos.

Weapon in hand, she raised her head and clanged the staff on the ground. "You have taken something belonging me," she said and he raised a mocking eyebrow. "The power of the Crystals is not for Warriors like you to wield, it is MINE." Amused, Sephiroth surveyed the rest of the room, Vincent and Tifa trained their glaring, predatory gazes at him but he sensed no one else apart from them. "Return my power and I shall let you off lightly," Cosmos warned, her voice grating irritatingly against his ears. "I am sure you know what happened to those sent before you, very few lived to tell you any tales."

The man, as strange as it was to see it from him, snorted. "I am not most people," he silkily voiced and ran his finger against the blade edge of Masamune. "Mother...Jenova..." he struggled to talk, a heavy weight settled on his chest, compelling him to return to the land of two moons. "I will carry out Mother's will and destroy Gaia," Sephiroth rasped, proud of his ability to resist Shinryu's call. Already, the blood in his veins roared like fire and the Crystal's power soothed it. A war raged inside his body and strangely, it calmed him.

The air shimmered; his vision blanked for a split second and showed him rows of jagged teeth lining the bronze dragon's maw. Forcing the image out of his head, Sephiroth floated higher, refusing to be on the same level as the goddess. A ring of semi-transparent manikins surrounded her, neon yellow, acid green and crimson. Their impossibly long swords all pointed to Cosmos' throat.

"I have warned you." The goddess grasped Cierr Harmonia and disappeared from view. Sephiroth frowned, he sensed no energy signature. "I require my power and I shall take it back by force if I have to!"

A hand seized his wing; the manikins growled and lunged for Tifa and Vincent. Tattered cloak flaring behind him, the latter blasted off a dozen heads and Tifa plunged into the fray, her palm thrusting at chins and snapping necks. Manikins fell and more rose to join in the battle. Grabbing a chair, the woman swung it around, catching a glowing specter against the aluminum legs and hauling it at Sephiroth. Indignant, he sliced the stool into dust and turned on Cosmos.

And without warning, she ripped the wing right off his back and a searing pain shot through his spine, arms and legs.

* * *

_Falling._

_Falling..._

_The three of them liked to hog the virtual training room. Angeal and Genesis teamed together against Sephiroth. Whilst the former often forfeited with his honor and grace intact, Genesis never stopped until he sustained a wound. The training sessions ended with good spirits and the three often hightailed out of the chamber before the technicians arrived and complained about something breaking._

_Jenova...Mother..._

_He stripped his humanity the day he learnt of his greater cause. To destroy Gaia, to destroy the planet. He was born for such a godly duty and Sephiroth vowed to carry it out for the mother who failed to do it._

_They displayed her in a tube, so indecent and inhumane that he found it difficult to lay eyes on the lilac-greyish woman suspended in fluid. She looked straight at him, dead, yet not quite dead. A primordial command transferred from the alien to the super soldier._

_The tank, the room with its surgical steel walls and lights grew fuzzy. A moon cropped in his vision and another one joined it, orbiting each other. Sephiroth could not move his arms and legs; he stared at irises of burnished gold and swallowed a bolus of fear. Never had he felt so completely alone and powerless. He drifted in the Lifestream, quite content to be there and this monstrosity summoned him._

_Destroy Cloud, it breathed. He tasted cinders and foul smoke. Lay waste to the Goddess opposing me. Destroy the planet._

_"Make my wish come true."_

* * *

Pain congregated around his throat and he pried Cosmos' long fingers off.

She spun her scythe and thundered after him. Still reeling from the impromptu reminder of Shinryu's hold over him, Sephiroth automatically blocked a barrage of light spheres, one licked against his skin, tearing muscle and blood poured. His back was on fire and the marbled wing lay on the bar floor, trampled by his manikins and Tifa.

Tifa...

He failed to destroy Cloud. The blonde was stranded in the middle of nowhere but Sephiroth knew the young man will find a way back. Destroying something meant a lot of things. In this case...

Teleporting from a devastating blow, Sephiroth shuddered from the impact. The bars doors shattered, glass fragments twinkling on the furniture behind it. All the tiles cracked, creating a spider web on the floor. A whirlwind brewed in the bar, gathering debris and bottles and broken chairs and sweeping after him. Behind the greyish torrent of wind, he spied Cosmos' wild shock of hair.

Grabbing Tifa by her hair, Sephiroth plunged Masamune into her chest and smiled when the tornado sputtered, dying with a thunderous roar.

The girl became limp and sunk to the floor, legs folding beneath her. Vincent stopped shooting and a surge of manikins took advantage, burying him under a mass of fluorescent bodies.

Sephiroth withdrew Masamune and breathed, he missed the girl's heart.

No matter, she will bleed out in a few minutes and die anyway.

The manikins crawling over Vincent growled angrily, beneath the mass of transparent, sword wielding demons, a claw emerged, grabbed a transient Sephiroth by the hair and flung the manikin against the real one standing over Tifa. Sephiroth spun, still bleeding from where Cosmos tore his wing, and diced his manikin, lips twisting distastefully when it gurgled and vanished. Spinning Cierr Harmonia, the goddess reflected several strikes from Masamune and gouged a deep gash in Sephiroth's chest, head spinning and clicking his tongue angrily, he withdrew and rotated when Vincent erupted from the deep. The immortal's irises glowed yellow, fangs protruded, grazing against scaly lips. Two webbed wings tore out of his back, still slimy from blood and roaring incoherently, the demon lunged for Sephiroth.

Bending over a bleeding Tifa, Cosmos pulled her into an embrace, blood staining her white jacket into ruby. Tifa's glassy eyes roamed over the bar, settling a moment on a snarling Vincent and continuing towards the door. The goddess placed her hand over the gaping wound and commanded it to heal. Wincing from the pain of knitting flesh and tendons, Tifa smiled weakly, her eyeballs rolled in her sockets and she passed out.

"Please be safe." The goddess heard her breathless prayer.

Propping her behind the counter and barricading her from the ruthless battle raging in 7th Heaven's confines, Cosmos regarded Sephiroth. How to extract her power, running within his veins? The influence of his memories might corrupt the pure power of the Crystal.

A barstool flew over her head, its leg tangling with her hair and tearing a few strands. An unearthly roar, mingled with broken human speech, exploded from the crimson winged demon as he grabbed another chair and bashed it over Sephiroth's head. The silver haired man simply shook the attack off and slashed the insides of Vincent's wing. A bronze tipped claw snatched a handful of Sephiroth's hair and grunting, Vincent pulled, smashing his target against the wall.

"Enough," Cosmos ordered and Vincent whirled on her, teeth gnashing against each other. "You are burning yourself." The demon lashed a table out of his way and spun, claws shredding Sephiroth's jacket. His wings stirred a cyclone and the goddess' coattails flapped. "ENOUGH!" she commanded and Vincent shook his head, calming when she placed her hand on his shoulder. "Rest. At this rate, you are only contributing to your ruin."

Sephiroth wiped his blade on the edge of a table; the demon's blood crusted it, rendering it less sharp. "He is a pawn of Chaos," he informed and Cosmos guided the dizzy gunslinger next to Tifa, he plopped on the floor without resistance. "You should be worrying less about a mindless demon and more about yourself. Due to the nature of his experiments, he is immortal...as am I," he added smugly. The power of the Crystal worked on him, healing his skin and throwing off Shinryu's influence.

"Nothing is immortal apart for myself." The goddess cast sleep and sweet dreams over the two humans and climbed on the counter, her head brushing against the ceiling. Light spilled on her hair, turning it into strands of gold. "He will die, as shall you; the difference being, I shall reap your soul here and now, whilst he will live to experience more sorrow and happiness." Cosmos' words angered Sephiroth, him, a mortal? Simmering under his marble facade, he raised Masamune to her chest level and wondered what sort of blood the goddess bled.

Time to find out.

She caught Masamune with her hand, stopping it from piercing her heart. Sephiroth smiled, impressed by her speed and ability to split time. Glittering, silver drops of blood oozed down the side of the sword and fell on the floor, repairing the damage done to the tiles. Still holding the sword, Cosmos swung Cierr Harmonia towards him and he quickly let go of Masamune.

His heart burst, emptying blood into veins. Rivers of red gushed out of his nose and mouth. Sephiroth staggered, raising face at Cosmos.

"What is this?!" he demanded, clutching a table for support. He could not feel his legs; his arms began to tinge blue.

"I have condemned you to death. You believed you could not die, but nothing escapes in the face of death," the goddess answered and opened her hand. Masamune clanged to the floor, the sound dying in Sephiroth's ears, he doubled over and spat more blood, the substance crystalized on the floor, a lime green sheen amongst all the red. Surprised, he brushed his fingers over the crystal and smiled to himself.

His body thudded on the floor, shattering the slab of crystal into small fragments.

* * *

At the other end of the bar, Cloud pushed against the glass doors.

He cursed at the pile of chairs and tables holding the door shut and activated Ominislash. Sheets of glass, spindly, metal legs and blocks of wood heaped before him. Wading through the debris, he rubbed a dust stain on his cheek and stopped at the lifeless body of Sephiroth.

A sudden urge to kick the corpse overwhelmed him.

Instead, he chose to crouch to the dead body's level. "He's really dead this time," he said, more to himself than the goddess cleaning the floor with her scythe. "What are you doing?" Cloud asked, "And where is Tifa...are Marlene and Denzel safe?" The questions poured from his parched mouth, running through the wastelands drained his energy and when he finally got to the nearest refueling station, a sense of untold dread stabbed his stomach. However, seeing his nemesis' body growing cold and blue on the wooden floor of a broken down bar, did not bode well with him. "I wonder...If...how they are feeling, seeing him like this right now." He stepped over the body to get a closer look at the substance Cosmos scraped off the ground. "What is this?" Cloud picked a shard and dropped it, "it smells like...Blood."

"It is blood, mixed with the Crystal I granted you," the goddess replied. "Everyone dear to you are safe, they are sleeping behind the counter." Throwing Cosmos another quick glance, Cloud rushed behind the bar, boots crunching glass. He breathed a sigh of relief when Tifa stirred, offering him a lazy smile.

Picking up all the fragments of lime tinged crystal, Cosmos melded it together in a sphere and frowned delicately. The Crystal was corrupted...And dirty. Sephiroth injected his madness into it and curious, she turned to the spiky haired blonde and queried, "Where was my Crystal? It is covered with what smells like..." she sniffed, "oil."

Cloud reddened slightly. "Fenrir takes a lot of maintenance and guzzles oil, so I used the Crystal to keep him going."

"Fenrir?"

"His motorcycle, he looks after it like it's his baby," Tifa roused herself and sat on the bar. "...I will have to rebuild this place," she softly commented amongst Vincent's snores.

Cosmos placed the congealed crystal in her jacket pocket and pressed her palms together, her eyes lit up. "You have a motorcycle?" Cloud nodded, slightly uncomfortable. "I would like to ride it one day." Blinking at the bizarre request, he shifted on his feet.

"He destroyed it," the blonde mumbled and jerked his chin at Sephiroth's body, "to get the Crystal. I didn't know we could absorb its power."

Touching the bulge in her pocket, the goddess shook her head. "Nothing good comes from taking a God's power, you will only condemn yourself."

Pearly light bled from the tree and sitting at the base of its trunk, the goddess examined the lump in her hands. Jade and crimson mixed together, almost impossible to pry apart. Examining it from all angles, she set the crystal down and her broken reflection stared back at her. The tainted crystal contained both Sephiroth's and Cloud's memories and their conviction; she hesitated, should she take the crystal whole or separate her power from it?

Leaning against the tree branch, Cosmos pried the delicate fragments of crystal apart with her fingers. Her nails eroded, consumed by Sephiroth's hatred, but they constantly healed. The ruby red pieces of crystal clinked delicately on the Void floor and lured by the stench of sin, the creatures of the Void surged closer, kept at bay light and Cierr Harmonia whistling threateningly in the air. Clink, another blood shard joined the growing pile on the floor and she mopped sweat from her brow, cupping the jagged pieces of jade crystal together, the goddess molded them into a flawless sphere. An aurora danced in the confines of the crystal ball, light green, yellow and white, briefly mesmerized by its beauty, she watched it, lost in contemplation.

"Are you going to absorb the Crystal's power or not?" Hwit materialized, his wings growing longer and fangs sinister, he caught his reflection in the crystal and flitted away, disgusted. "Where to next?" he queried, perched on Cosmos' shoulder for a split second before launching off. The light from the tree hurt and it concerned him.

Since when was light able to damage him? The forces of light and darkness, of poison and death, did little against an entity such as him. Flapping his wings impatiently, he resisted the pull to corruption and retreated to the edge of the pearly environs. The darkness enveloped him and he welcomed it like a protective shroud.

"The Crystal was absorbed by Sephiroth," Cosmos informed.

A skew smile lifted Hwit's lips, "A crafty one," he paused for a moment, "We had him chained because..." the moogle abruptly stopped speaking and cursed himself.

"Because?" Cosmos put the crystal on her lap and focused on Hwit, half melting into the darkness. Behind his eyes lay a plain studded with pools of lava and two moons. A barren landscape stretching to infinity. "What of the other Chaos Warriors?"

"None of your business," the moogle roughly replied and sunk to the floor, scratching his nails against the Void's layers of darkness. "You should stop that," he sternly declared, burnished gold irises lowered from Cosmos' bright blue ones. "Shinryu's pull is absolute, remember, you are dealing with a planesgorger." Dissolving into an incoherent mess of mumbles, Hwit dissolved in a shower of black light.

Alone, Cosmos rose from the floor and crushed the Crystal. It showed her a lush, green world on the brink of an apocalypse. Beastmen and transient demons surrounded the plains, ready to wreak havoc and destroy the planet. Once the world becomes a former husk of its self, Shinryu will eat its existence, growing in power and corruption. She touched the doorknob.

"He said 'We'..." She softly muttered to herself and opened the door.

* * *

**A/N:** Beautiful people of fanfiction, sorry for the wait, I was floored with flu and spent my days sleeping it away. Oh and the exams, not to forget the exams. So now that I have conquered those paper demons, I'm back, with another chapter, please read and review, constructive criticism is always appreciated.

And those paper demons? Kill them.

At Nonny: I sometimes seriously question the FF games, they toss out gods and goddesses like its confetti, hence this story. Heh? Sephiroth grounded? That man is insane with a capital I and getting more power will only boost is planet sized ego into a cosmic sized one. But he's dead now, poor him. Ugh, I never buy Monster Hunter games because I know I'll quit before the tutorial is over. But still...I beg my friends to lend me their copy just so I can give it back to them before the week is over.


	20. Skin be Steel Flesh be stone

**Skin Be Steel. Flesh Be Stone.**

Clocks ticked endlessly in a study filled with the acrid tang of magic. On an expansive, oak wood table, an hourglass ran at twice the speed, golden sand falling like a waterfall. A gloved hand brusquely upturned it and the process started again. Silk curtains, thrown back to let in sunlight, floated in a breeze and beyond the mansion layered with no less than twenty three barriers, the city of Windhurst unfolded in shades of green and brown. Mangrove trees, roots knitted together, grew around a large pond and groups of Tarutaru wandered around, exchanging gossip or listening to the elder heckle about a new tidbit of news.

Inside the room with ticking clocks, Shantotto ran her finger across a tome half her size and squinted at the faded lettering, it read of ancient magic and entrances to the Void. Surprised by the number of worlds which held a back door to the Void and concerned about the new source of power expanding in the dark realm, she began investigating for possible reasons. Each night, she monitored the power levels in a magic crystal she built from scratch, originally, the cube of silver gauged magic fluctuations in the planet of Vana'diel, but lately, she modified it to probe into the Void instead.

The strange power did not reek of evil and destruction, and thus it confused her more. Travelling through the continent and visiting libraries, Shantotto gathered all the knowledge she found and compiled it, time marched differently in the Void and the constant ticking of clocks grated on her nerves.

Sighing, she shut the book and poked her head out to see a lone Tarutaru approach her home. He wore glasses, pushed them up and warily skirted a wide ring of ebony stones placed around her mansion. A worn, leather-bound journal winked in his hands and growing irate, she stormed downstairs, the polished wooden steps groaning under her wrath. The shadowy figure of the journalist shifted beyond the door and wrenching it open, Shantotto glared at the male and swept her hair back from her forehead.

"Why are you here? I do not want journalists hunting around my house, I have made that clear!" She tapped her foot impatiently and the man quivered, fumbling for his pen and notebook. Eyeing them distastefully, Shantotto crossed her arms over her chest. "Run along and be gone. I don't have time, to answer questions for on a dime." Saying this, she spun on her heel and slammed the door shut in the journalist's face. Emboldened by her absence, he crept to the door and hammered his tiny fist on it.

"Lady Shantotto, there are rumors of a continental war breaking out, is this true?" Inside the house and surrounded by multicolored crystals and plants dug from the wastelands of Qufim, Shantotto frowned. A war? Why haven't she heard of this? "Being a veteran yourself, will you be a participant in this war?" The male Tarutaru relentlessly asked and hoped for an answer. "You are a decorated officer aren't you? Please answer some questions and I'll leave you alone."

"Leave now or I shall tear off your brow."

The way she _growled_ as she threatened through clenched teeth was more than enough cause for the journalist to hightail it.

As all became quiet on the other side of the door, Shantotto huffed before she began to climb the stairs slowly, her gloved fingers trailing thoughtfully across the banister. All thoughts of war flowed out of mind when she entered her study. Magic, both ancient and modern, hummed within the walnut paneled walls. Her staff, a rod of fragrant sandalwood accented with gold and topped with a ruby bigger than her fist, lay across a chaise lounge. Standing it upright in a corner dappled with sunlight, she returned to her table and the notes. The hourglass stopped and she upturned it again, timing herself as she created a miniature gate-way to the void.

A tiny tear opened in a space reinforced by panels of glass. On the glass, she inscribed runes of magic with tree sap. The portal opened, a gaping mouth of black and excited by her success, she removed a glass panel. A thick beam of black light shot forward, reducing several of her books to ashes and melting her shelf. Alarmed and delighted, she quickly replaced the glass panel and stepped back.

"Marvelous," She commented and jotted her findings in a diary. "It is alive...ohoho!"

A loud knocking from the front door interrupted her brief triumph. Snapping her fingers and collapsing the miniscule portal to the Void, Shantotto clicked her tongue angrily and teleported downstairs, the thunderous frown on her face did not dim even after an official from the Federation of Windhurst bowed politely and murmured his apologies. Haughtily sniffing at his crisp uniform, she waited for him to speak. "Lady Shantotto, you are urgently summoned to the Windhurst City Center by the Federation, we are to seek your counsel in the upcoming war-"

"War?" she interjected and her features hardened. "Explain."

Swallowing and racking his brains, the official explained, "We noticed hostilities at the border between Windhurst and the region of Kolshushu, the troops dispatched did not return, save for one bearing a sign around his neck. It..." He broke off and wrung his gloved hands. Shantotto noticed the material, white, with a greyish stain from dirt.

"Spit it out, lest you want a clout," she demanded, "what happened to the scout?"

"He came back bearing a message. Prince Kam'lanaut has returned and he brings an army of devils and beast men. They have surrounded the country."

* * *

The moment she stepped on the springy, wild grass of Windhurst, Cosmos noticed a disturbance. It created a sense of unease in her and the growing number of beast men and manikins, marching to the capital with the aim of flattening it, did little to sooth her worries. The grass rippled across her bare feet, fragrant in a town unsullied by pollution. The lake, crystal clear, bubbled and striding through the grass, the goddess's heels birthed a stream of violets. She stopped meters away from a mansion and touched the air.

And her hand sparked.

Massaging the minor burn, she stepped back, impressed. She expected nothing less from Shantotto.

To the east, a gigantic tree sung a tune. The hopeful whispers morphed into a lament and drawn by the haunting melody, Cosmos followed the song. It guided her to a sacred glade where more Tarutaru gathered, unsettled by the rumors of war. Children, free from such worries, played with smooth pebbles and beaming at them, the goddess strode through the path cleared for her and stood next to the elder. Right in front of the tree.

"This tree...is the guardian of Windhurst. The council wanted to build the main City around it, but Shantotto persuaded them to leave it alone. You are no ordinary stranger." The elder turned, cataract white eyes crinkled into a kindly smile. The rest of the Tarutaru and Mithra gaped at her and lowered their gazes respectfully while Cosmos smiled at them. "Shantotto left half an hour ago, fuming. You are looking for her, newcomer?"

The goddess nodded.

"She might return in the evening if all goes well. Or she might not." The elder wrung his staff. "The war shook the Federation of Windhurst to the core, no one suspected a fallen enemy to bare its fangs again." Muttering to each other, the Tarutaru left the tree after murmuring their prayers. Parents tore their children away from their playmates and the afternoon sun shone blindingly.

Marching away from the group, the goddess returned to the house enveloped by barriers and walked around it. A minefield thrummed underfoot and summoning Cierr Harmonia, she thrust the blade tip into the ground and deactivated several traps, they went out with a muted pop.

Next, she pressed the scythe against the barrier; the first layer kicked up an electrical storm, forks of lightning converged on her weapon, burning her fingertips.

Curses floated from the shield underneath, showing Cosmos visions she would not rather see.

Teeth clenched and determined, the goddess struck her blade against the twenty three barriers and screeching, the entire formation collapsed. Wiping a sheen of sweat from her brow, Cosmos gripped her scythe tightly and turned around.

Blonde locks flowing in the wind, Kam'lanaut rested a metal gloved hand over his scabbard; his blue eyed gaze flickered between the goddess and the mansion behind her. The unease bubbling in Cosmos' chest increased when the house leaked an ominous energy. "You have brought an army and incited war," the goddess stated and stood her ground, a ring of magic mines separated the wayward prince from Shantotto's home. "Turn back...or at least, suffer your defeat with dignity."

Chest puffing from indignation, Kam'lanaut gripped his sword hilt. "I will not turn back or suffer any defeat," he lowly voiced and moved forward. "I have a mission and I shall carry it out until my last breath."

"A noble determination," Cosmos agreed stiffly. "However, your goals and that of the one puppeteering you, seems to clash."

Cheeks flushing behind his elaborate face guard, Kam'lanaut unsheathed his broadsword and shield with one smooth momentum. He charged forward, his blade meeting with Cierr Harmonia. A group of manikins materialized around him and surged for Cosmos, she swept her palm across the air and they sliced in half. Irked, he summoned the beast men and another contingent of manikins, together, specter and fiend rushed towards the goddess and in the confusion of whirling bodies, neon blades and crescents of blinding light, the prince squeezed through the cleared area and broke for Shantotto's house. The mage must be hiding in there; he concluded and asked the god to shield her. A magician the caliber of Shantotto must have already heard of the inter-world war.

Kam'lanaut did not have grand dreams. Shantotto crushed them and grinded them to fine dust. Helping Shinryu demolish an entire world so the dragon can devour it and grow more powerful? Not on his list of life goals. The prince wanted free reign of his thoughts, destroying Shantotto and her world required too much back breaking work and in the aftermath, the benefits coming his way were too little.

Striding purposefully to the defenseless house, he failed to see the ring of ebony stones nestled carefully in the wild grass. The moment he touched the space above the rocks, a thunderous clap boomed in his ear and suddenly, he flew backwards, hair sailing in the wind. Crash-landing painfully on the ground, Kam'lanaut got up and glared at the final line of defense guarding the mage's mansion.

The din of thunder rose over the screeches of beast men and growling manikins. Blinking, Cosmos spared a glance at the shadow flying overhead, the prince landed back first, merely a meter away from the ring of deadly mines and got up, shaking his head angrily and reaching for his sword. A manikin sliced her jacket open and two others dove for stabs.

Pushing other thoughts away from her mind, Cosmos clapped her hands and invoked for Bahamut.

A beast-man snagged the goddess' necklace in its claws and pulled; gasping, she sliced off its hands and frowned delicately. Will the war demi-god not appear? Focusing on clearing the uncountable amount of manikins spawning from nowhere and marching off, Cosmos teleported to a group of five neon yellow, ghostly figures as they headed for the nearest house. Three children, cantering near the pond, saw the army of specters and screamed, their shrill whistles attracting the older Tarutaru. Swiping Cierr Harmonia in an arc, Cosmos reduced the marching ghosts into puffs of bright smoke and the residents cheered.

That was when Bahamut decided to finally show up.

**"I apologize for arriving late,"** the war god rumbled and the beast men stopped attacking. They eyes bulged at the being clad in winged armor and radiating power the likes they have never felt before. More than a dozen lay down their arms and touched their forehead to the grass, babbling fervently. Several of them fell to their knees, gazes stuck at Bahamut, their irises roamed over the plates of golden and cobalt blue armor hanging like folds around the humanoid Astral. The few, bold ones, gripped their spears and hurled curses.

Brushing the curses and spears off, he rotated to Cosmos, her form puny against his size. **"This world did not allow me in, I was forced to fight my way through,"** he explained his delay.

"Your form..." the goddess trailed off and Bahamut blinked under his oppressive helmet. "I prefer you as a dragon."

**"I am no less formidable,"** the Astral quickly defended himself, coming across much more self-conscious than she would have liked.

Letting Cierr Harmonia complete a dance of death, Cosmos pushed her shock of sweaty hair back. "Yes, however, you are not humanoid by choice and you cannot morph into a dragon can you?"

The split second silence confirmed Cosmos' suspicions and Bahamut shifted guiltily.

**"No,"** he finally conceded. Letting the subject drop, the goddess drew his attention to the hundreds of manikins marching in all directions and asked him to deal with the threat. **"As you wish,"** he droned and raised his hand whilst she sped for Kam'lanaut.

A thousand white, ethereal swords covered the skies. The parading manikins collectively shielded their heads but when Bahamut, eyes narrowed, brought his hand down, not one of them survived the hail of swords. The sharp edges sliced through the army and buried into the soil like arrows. Ghastly wails tore through the air, the beast men, terrified of this new threat, shakily gathered their weapons. A few poison tipped arrows glanced off Bahamut's armor and turning slowly, he glared at them.

Grass caught fire; the beasts whelped and beat their hooves. Utter chaos reigned in the clearing in front of Shantotto's mansion. Most galloped for the lake, plunging into the cool water to sooth their burning hides. Others stubbornly kept lobbing magic at Bahamut who shrugged the attacks off indifferently. A row of flickering Kam'lanaut manikins, glowing green and ruby, lined behind the war god and aimed for his protected head.

They collectively launched an attack, slicing at him from different directions. The helmet's metal horns fell first, thudding to the ground. One side of Bahamut bled freely and he lashed, crushing the manikins in a fist and flattening them with his armor. Roaring, he unleashed a Mega-Flare.

A blinding white comet of light erupted, burning grass, evaporating the water and flattening the landscape.

* * *

Bypassing the ring of ebony stones via a crafty magic trick, Kam'lanaut slashed open the door and walked inside. His metal accented boots left dusty footprints on the laminated flooring. Sensing the Void in one of the upper chambers, he spared a moment to study the living room. For a woman as haughty and tasteless as the mage, her living area contained an ivory fireplace and easy chairs scattered around a low table.

Suspicious of the glowing table, he stalked across the floor and kicked it. The table glowed red hot and set his legs on fire. Cursing, he smothered the flames, ran his broad blade across the sofas and paused to regard the new comer through floor to ceiling length windows. Bahamut, Kam'lanaut concluded from the Astral's wings and hanging swords, a skew smirk bloomed on the princes' lips, not even a war god will save Shantotto from her fate today.

Thundering after the fleeing Warrior, Cosmos found Kam'lanaut in the upper floors. Both goddess and prince came to a deadly standstill and stared at the glass cube sitting pompously on the table.

Enraged by the mage's absence, Kam'lanaut marched around, searching for hidden panels and back door escapes. Shantotto's staff lay on a lounge; therefore she must still be hiding in the house. Lips pressed in a displeased line, he stopped when a surge of energy bloomed in the room and whipped around to a tear in reality. The oval of black pulsed menacingly and whilst he goggled at it, the goddess burst into the room.

He read panic in her eyes.

Grasping the opportunity with both hands, the prince raised his weapon high and brought it down, intending to smash the translucent prison. He could not have Shantotto, but he could force her to come here and deal with a mess beyond her capabilities! Cierr Harmonia swerved around, its blade edge catching Kam'lanaut on his armored finery and flinging him across the room. Broadsword grazing the roof, he landed into a bookshelf full of ancient tomes. The shelf rocked on brass legs and toppled, burying him under a mountain of velvet and skin bound volumes. A book opened by itself, the pages tore, glowed eerily and attacked the fallen prince.

Leaving him to defend himself against a flurry of vengeful paper, Cosmos vaulted to the growing Void portal and stood in front of it, aghast. Swallowing her surprise, she quickly drew a drop of glittering ichor. Staining her finger with it, she drew a magic circle around the cube, intending to end such a dubious project. As much as she admired Shantotto, the mage's research often dipped into the occult.

Squeezing another droplet of ichor, the goddess inked a hexagon. Barely had she finished when a snapping lexicon bit through her jacket sleeve. Hissing daintily, Cosmos grabbed the book and flung it. Her hand stung and her ears rung. Human skin and beast fur covered the tome and the curses of the dead wailed through the room. The book righted itself and lunged again, swerving around the goddess and attacking Kam'lanaut. The prince rose to his feet and slashed the book into half.

It uttered a high pitched moan before dissolving into golden flames. The fragrant scent of lavender filled the room.

Hefting another gold tooled volume in his hand, the prince threw it. The heavy book somersaulted through the air, stopped for a split second and continued spinning towards the cube of glass.

Crash!

Free from its restraints, the Void portal leapt right open.

* * *

**A/N:** I like books, magical books are awesome. Soren from Fire Emblem is awesome. Shantotto's dialogue was difficult to write, but I like to think that I pulled it off, somehow. As usual, please read and review people, tell me what you think.

At Nonny: I always like customizing and although crafting those snazzy armor and weapons are awesome, getting them is not. Dying fifty times to slay a dragon? Not on my list of things to do, but I do it anyway because the end result is so satisfying. It's like realistic Pokemon...of sorts. I like badass Cosmos, it suits her. As for Sephiroth, of all the villains, he strikes me as the least one to be able to manipulate. Hwit...if I ever had a pet moogle, I want one like Hwit :P


	21. Desolate wasteland

**Desolate Wasteland**

Sitting in a high-backed chair, its edges rimmed with silver, Shantotto feigned disinterest but listened intently to the council raging a verbal war.

The group, consisting of both the old and young, sparked a heated debate whilst the holographic globe, projected from the table's middle, showed conflicts occurring all over the planet Vanadiel. With her gaze locked on the globe and gloved hand shoved under her chin, Shantotto witnessed yet another town engulfed by a small army and sat straight.

When she shifted, the noise died and the council faced her.

"Whilst we sit and talk, the beasts take a walk." The elder members sat down, exhausted from arguing back and forth. "The capital can defend itself, I cannot say the same for the smaller towns," Shantotto voiced and pointed to the globe. The area enlarged to show her town. "My town is being invaded and to take action, you need to be persuaded." Most of the council shifted guiltily. "I am not needed here," the mage declared, much to the alarm of those present, "so I shall take my leave-"

"Lady Shantotto please wait." A youngster scrambled out of his chair. "We need you to defend the City of Windhurst, if the capital falls, the entire continent will be in danger."

Fist resting on the table top, Shantotto raised an impassive eyebrow. "Entire continent?" she echoed. "What is a continent in the face of global war?" She swiped her palm across the air and the globe spun. "The planet is in danger, with its safety we cannot wager. Most of the forces are concentrated in Qufim," the council crumbled before her forceful declarations, "I shall be going there. Alone. Do not attempt to stall me, if you do, your safety I cannot guarantee." Crossing her arms defiantly, she waited for the Tarutaru to raise an objection.

A self-satisfied smile curled over her face; of course no one in the Federation will stop her. If they did...

Well, they could always rebuild their buildings, wood was plentiful in this side of Windhurst.

"We agree to your mission," The eldest council member weakly said and nodded with the others.

"Agree...Ohohoho," Shantotto laughed and teleported from the chamber.

* * *

She arrived at her town, near the great tree. Screams of the dying filled the air and she wrinkled her nose against the stench of blood. The pond, formerly a reflective, sapphire blue, became murky and bodies of children bobbed on its surface. Swallowing bile, she crossed stretches of grassland and paused before her mansion.

A hoard of manikins converged on an Astral floating in mid-air. Countless white swords impaled the ground and other beast men strewn on the fields. The manikins hacked with their broad swords and the floating Astral shook them off; more sprang up to fill the gaps and bolts of brilliant white light charred them into nothing. Shantotto raised her palm, an unearthly roar of rage and defeat assaulted her ear drums and Bahamut fell.

The war god..._fell._

Manikins cocooning the humanoid Astral burned. Their forms ruptured by light. Growling aggressively, the war god spun around, helmet and armor stripped off him. Squashed under ghosts, he imploded, sinking into himself and rocketing outwards. The ghosts cannoned off of him; some fell to the ground, skull split and disappearing into smoke. Others landed against building faces and trees, snapping branches, limbs and gurgling to their death.

Clucking her tongue in irritation and at the mess Bahamut left in his wake, Shantotto called on fire. The enemies burst into spontaneous flame, black, orange and gold. Smoke wafted, thick in the air and she waved ashy particles from her face. Whilst the manikins and beast men collectively burned and heckled curses at her, she examined her damaged barrier. "Cosmos," the mage stated to herself, recognizing the one-of-a-kind magic in the air. "What does the goddess want?"

* * *

Inside the mansion, the said goddess panted. With one hand she pinched the fabric of reality together, closing the Void partially, with the other; she manipulated Cierr Harmonia and fended off an ecstatic Kam'lanaut. "She will be forced to come here!" he announced, brandishing his sword, the scythe drew an incision across his cheek and clanged off the metal face guard. "And once Shantotto arrives, I will use her to free myself from Shinryu's control." Slashing sideways, he tore Cosmos' jacket sleeve and the blade grazed her skin. "The dragon thinks he can manipulate ME into doing what he wants!" Kam'lanaut screamed. "I do not get any compensation and he summoned me in a barren wasteland of all places!"

At that point, Cosmos decided to tune out of his tuneless ramblings and focused on keeping the Void closed, wishing that she had Hwit's aid.

As if sensing her intentions, he materialized, a scowl on his face. "I cannot help you," the moogle solemnly declared and distastefully eyed the prince. "Whatever I do from now on, the dragon is fully aware of it. I cannot harm the Chaos Warriors unless he wills it. You are on your own." He flitted restlessly before evaporating.

Thick smoke poured through the cracked windows and the fetid stench of burning flesh filled the study. Kam'lanaut peered outside and his face split into a deranged smile. "Finally here," he growled angrily and raised his foot on the windowsill. Cosmos directed her scythe and the curved blade sunk deep in the prince's back. He staggered; surprise etched in the folds of his face and touched his back, where no armor protected it. Groggily regarding the blood staining his gloved fingertips, Kam'lanaut toppled backwards, through the open window and his body hit the porch.

The stairs cracked his skull, an arm hung loosely at an awkward angle and through his tear blurred vision, the diminutive form of Shantotto stared back at him. Letting his sword go, he grasped for the mage, for his only hope, but she retreated from his reach. The final thing searing his vision was a world of white.

It reminded him of Qufim.

The place of his tower. His glory. The springboard to his greatness.

A barren wasteland where nothing grew.

He remembered black, naked trees and dunes of white sand. The Delkfutt Tower, his pride and joy, now became a plaything for Shinryu.

"_I hate you..._" Kam'lanaut whispered his dying words to the wind.

Passing her palm over the gaping void, Cosmos stitched the fabric of reality together and stepped back to survey her work. Sweat plastered her jacket to her body and her finger oozed drops of ichor. Free from the darkness of the Void, she breathed deeply and frowned. A shimmer persisted inside the room, at the edges where the unseen met the seen.

Sighing and mentally berating Shantotto for this clandestine research, she teleported out of the room and stopped at Kam'lanaut's dead body. Two woman stood over the fallen prince, one stared scornfully at the corpse, whilst the other pitifully sighed and studied the burning landscape.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Shantotto turned, tutting at the plumes of black smoke belching from all corners of Windhurst, the lake shimmered crimson with a layer of blood, screams tore the air. Through a film of dust and fire, she glimpsed the villagers running. A precious doll tossed to the ground, trampled first by fleeing feet and thereafter by pursuing hooves and thundering boots. Another one spilled a trunk of memories, photos, and curiosities sprinkled across the ground. Glass cracked, metal deformed and on the horizon, the world blazed in hues of angry red and bruised fire.

"They spawn like ants," The mage commented and vanished to retrieve her staff. "And I shall set fire on their pants." She twirled her ruby staff and smacked it meaningfully on her gloved palm. "The beast men are generating at Qufim," Shantotto explained properly, "if we want to stop them once and for all, we have to destroy the Delkfutt Tower and its main room, the Stellar Fulcrum." The guardian tree bled smoke and twisting her staff in anger, the mage narrowed her eyes. The war stretched far and wide, she felt the magic fluctuating, the continent eaten by strife and terror. "Shall we leave before the dead bodies make me heave?"

Ichor roared in Cosmos' veins, parts of the planet called for protection, groans and protests issuing deep beneath the earth and tugging at her. Filling her ears with a plea for salvation. Earth cracked beneath her feet and she imagined Shinryu tearing into the planet and dissecting it, reducing it nothing, not even an atom to commemorate all the life once lived. Lips pressed into a determined line and knuckles white against Cierr Harmonia, she nodded. "The Stellar Fulcrum, the source of all this misery...we shall put a stop to it." Casting a sidelong glance at the goddess, Shantotto teleported them without another word.

* * *

Qufim stretched endlessly, a desolate waste land of nothing but dead and decaying trees. A black sky stretched over it, devoid of stars and clouds and wind. White sand, glittering like snow, carpeted the ground and spilled over Cosmos' toes as she strode through the small dunes, her jacket hem enveloped by dust. Huffing, Shantotto followed her and a ring of magic fire kept blood thirsty demons and beast men at bay.

The Delkfutt Tower pierced the grey skyline, its features smothered by white sand. At the edges of the wasteland, where land kissed the sky, sheer black cliffs boarded Qufim, cutting the province off from the outside world. Natural energy vents, long milked dry, hissed angrily when beast men trampled over them. A glittering spear arced through the protective circle of Shantotto's golden fire and landed between Cosmos' feet. Pausing, she picked it up and glared at the beast man.

The corrupt warrior's legs locked together but it stayed upright, bolstered by its comrades and the thousands of transient manikins swarming over the plains. The goddess saw right through them, the wasteland surrounds, filtered through masses of transparent, neon bodies, broke at the edges and Cosmos stopped. Delkfutt Tower, swallowed whole by a wall of steaming, snarling bodies, became a dream destination and with war raging in all corners of the planet, no doubt Shinryu will arrive soon to cleanse the world.

To cleanse...and absorb the power and corruption birthed by the war he caused.

"No, no longer cleanse," Cosmos corrected herself out loud, "as he currently is, he only exists to destroy." The ring of fire surrounding the two women sputtered and growling animalistically, the mixed masses of half animal, half humans and manikins surged as one.

Cierr Harmonia struck the white sands of Qufim and the first wave of enemies launched backwards in the air, astonishment on their faces. They hung, unblinking, unable to move or speak or breath. The invisible ring spread outwards, sweeping over the ranks and stilling anything coming in contact with it. Sand refused to shift, the dunes became permanent. The slight, chilling breeze blowing over Qufim, paused and the vents stopped hissing. Smoke hung as pale clouds under the grey sky. Outwards it blew, gushing over the continent, petrifying the waves. It reached a new continent, where war raged and swords tore skin open, dripping blood. The blood hung in scarlet pearls in the air, two opponents locked in combat, their weapons poised to kill, but not advancing. No breath escaped in hot blasts from their nostrils.

The world has been frozen in time.

Panting heavily, the goddess leaned on her scythe, her ears rung and her vision blurred. The entire planet stopped breathing and hung in stasis. Butterflies stopped in mid-flight, embryos confined to their shells. Wiping sweat from her brow, Cosmos straightened and blinked rapidly to stop her vision from collapsing.

"I am impressed," Shantotto flexed her fingers and moved, "you are _nearly_ at your best." She poked a beast man in its eyeball and smirked when no droplet of blood oozed. "The world is stagnant, but surely you will fragment?"

"...True. I cannot sustain a time stop on such a massive scale. Now when I am not at full power...yet. Apart from disintegrating the demons, I run the risk of killing other life as well."

Shantotto mock bowed, "The Goddess of Harmony, you live up to your name," she curtsied and thunder flashed across the dark skies of Qufim.

"Killing all life discriminately does not make me any different than the entity I oppose. Death should be natural, an accompaniment to living," Cosmos stated and raised her scythe. "This strife saddens me." A crescent blade of energy ripped through the soldiers standing like warmed stone. Everything in the path of the blade cleaved in half, however they did not separate. "You are most impressive Shantotto, I cannot believe you are able to move in such circumstances."

Peals of thunder crashed to the lands below. A roar announced the demolition of Delkfutt Tower. The stone split in half, exposing the colorful Stellar Fulcrum before giant blocks tumbled on itself and crushed the building. "_Ohohohoh!_" The mage laughed. "You are severely underestimating me." Lightning gravitated to the black tree branches and they caught flame. Orange fire sluggishly leapt across plains of white sand, leaving charcoal stumps and pieces in its wake. "Hmm, I cannot cast magic," she stood with her feet apart when the thunder and fire dissipated soundlessly. "This is tragic."

"Stand back," Cosmos warned, "I shall cast Doom, if something happens to me, I trust you to keep me safe."

"Quite the tall order." Shantotto grinned at the challenge. "Fortunately for you, I am a high performer."

Smiling at the smug mage, the goddess closed her eyes and focused.

Doom swept like a poisonous, unseen mist between antagonistic hearts and corrupt magic. It settled like an ominous shroud over vital organs and squeezed. She remembered the shock on Sephiroth's marble visage when his heart burst and he died. How many thousand others will have the exact same expression? Clutching their hearts, gurgling as blood frothed in their lungs and choked the life out of them?

* * *

A butterfly flitted in the far edges of Mindartia and took flight. A bird chirped, its cry echoing across the forest and taken up by others. A shrill warning. Animals collectively took flight when the beast men and specters advancing into the boarders of the forest suddenly dropped dead, starbursts of blood gushing from their eyes and nose.

The reek of iron smothered the leaves.

In Windhurst, the lake water lapped, slowly at first and picking up in intensity as bodies dropped into it, thrashing and spasming. Waters frothed pink. Smoke resumed puffing into the sky and bodies thudded to the ground, drenching the emerald blades of grass into crimson. The Tarutaru stopped running, confused by the sudden deaths, their button noses wrinkled, the stench of death hung heavy under their noses.

* * *

Crouched to the ground and choking on the fetid rank of death, Shantotto covered Cosmos with a protective shield. In hindsight, she did not need to.

The goddess' eyes sparked with fury and weariness unknown. The corrupt magic ebbed from the continent and an unsettling peace descended on the planet.

Safe at last, but for how long?

"The threat to every world remains as long as Shinryu is alive," Cosmos muttered softly and Shantotto nodded, eyes narrowed at the horizon. "I must visit the other worlds I have yet to arrive upon, to retrieve my Crystals and search for the elusive land with two moons." The goddess started vacantly at the planet marred by a violent and unprecedented war. "I shall leave you to restore this planet back to its former beauty and glory."

A question died on Shantotto's lips when Cosmos, her jacket soiled with blood and ichor, slowly pulled through the ruddy sand. Blood of the fallen stained the hem of her gold accented jacket as she stopped to stare at the faces of the dead. Pausing some meters away and surrounded by a ring of decomposing bodies, the lady slashed reality and it parted before her. Shantotto expected the Void interior to be dark and foreboding, filled with the chatters of demons and the insane, instead, to her pleasant surprise, a pearly light bled from the interior and swallowed the goddess whole.

Breath rattling in his helmet, Exdeath eased away from the pool and clenched his hands into fists. Opposite him, Ultimecia closed her eyes, defeat and defiance apparent in her hollow cheeks and sharp inhale. Golbez sat away from them, gravely quiet and stared at his broken reflection on the sheets of lime green crystal.

"So she grows powerful yet again." The time witch's lips curled, in distaste Once upon a time, when the goddess could barely walk without breathing heavily, Ultimecia left her in a continent of neglect, that same woman, with a shock of unruly, golden hair, cast a planetary time stop and lived to tell the tale. "Sephiroth, hmph," the witch snorted, "I expected more from him, but this is what you get when you underestimate a true goddess."

Pacing angrily, Exdeath plotted. "Cosmos claimed part of the Void as her home," he rumbled. "The Cloud of Darkness has permanently vanished, the goddess was aided by another planesgorger."

Throwing her head back, Ultimecia laughed bitterly. "Another planesgorger?" she asked mockingly, "The only one in existence resides here, in the backdoor of the Void." She became silent when a silhouette of webbed wings passed over the party. "The remaining Crystals must fall into our grasp, it's the only way we..." Ultimecia stopped speaking entirely and swallowed thickly, the sensation of a noose tightened around her neck. "...it's the only way," she gasped hoarsely, "we will have some form of freedom."

A hollow roar echoed from beyond the smoking pits of lava, where the iron throne stood, ever unreachable.

"Banish the thought of freedom from your mind," Exdeath hissed, tone multiplied by his helmet. "We exist solely to answer to the Void and Shinryu."

Slightly disgusted, Ultimecia teleported away from him, shaking her head.

She failed to destroy her planet and the constant presence of the bronze dragon reminded her of her failures. Most of the other Warriors perished in their quest to please Shinryu.

And she wondered how long her heart will remain beating.

* * *

**A/N:** Writing Shantotto's dialogue was hair-greyingly difficult, however, I managed, a rhyming dictionary was my best friend. Read and review people, constructive criticism is always appreciated and remember not to be like Ultimecia. Be free. FREE! Soar on your proverbial wings. FLY!

At Xman797: Huh, I was actually doing research on the Abrahamic God when I wrote Cosmos but you have a point. Even in Hinduism there is a multitude of Gods/Goddesses for everything, personally I find it overwhelming. But each to its own I suppose. Bakemonogatari? Thanks for the recc, I'll give it a try.

At Nonny: That is a lot of Kami, but I love reading the folk tales and myths surrounding them and Okami is one of my favorite games. The artwork is breathtaking. I feel the more Gods/Goddesses a religion has, the more complex it becomes, though, that's necessarily not a bad thing. As for Hwit and Shinryu, more will be revealed later. I would like a moogle as a companion, for some reason, they remind me of my cat. Imagine having a sentient pet-thing with a head bauble, we'd be best friends!


	22. All things great and small

**All Things Great And Small**

Tapestries clung on the walls, scenes woven in silks of mauve and gold. Plush carpets covered every inch of the floor and light congregated in large spots, illuminating a man sitting on a velvet upholstered couch. Alone in the large living room, the man sighed and looked around, feeling rather small and insignificant.

Standing up, he clasped his hands behind his back. "Tonight, I shall do my best to capture the rose blooming under the full moon..." Chin tilting up dramatically; he swept across the room, robes billowing theatrically behind him.

* * *

In the bustling streets of Alexandria, a figure strode through the old streets, boots clicking on the stone tiled ground. He hurried past an open air market, nostrils wrinkling at the smells of fresh fish and sun ripened fruits. Hawkers heckled their prices, women flooded the markets, balancing woven baskets and shoving each other for a glimpse of the freshest produce. Airships streaked slowly through the sky, chugging steam and leaving white trails behind them.

At one end of the magnificent city, Alexandria Castle emerged, stone bulwarks and turrets providing a picturesque backdrop against the teal sky.

* * *

Back in the living room, the man sank back into his couch, blonde eyebrows furrowed and brooding. His beloved princess, ensnared by the traps of high society, refused to see him and it worried him greatly. His luxurious apartment offered no other charm and he, climbing through the ranks of society through hard work instead of royal blood, was not enough for her fastidious family.

Of course, his wayward gaze did not help.

A portrait of a fair young woman hung on the wall, shooting it a passionate glance, he got up and danced his way through an antique coffee table and swept his hair backwards. His beloved, preserved in shades of lazuline and peach, smiled at him from the painting and overcome by emotion, he leaned against the wall.

The individual turned away from the market and spilled into quieter streets. Here, the glass windows displayed craft shops. A violin, wood gleaming, winked from a nearby shop front and in the next window, he spied a grand piano, lonely without the player. A car rushed down the road, honking madly and children scattered, some of them howling curses and running after the car. Drawing his jacket tighter across his body, he stalked. The air smelt of paints and varnish and the castle remained a constant reminder as it loomed closer and closer. A giant pillar of white crystal reflected the late afternoon light as he stepped into a plaza bustling with crowds. In the middle of the public square, tangerine banners fluttered in the wind, sweeping over a theatre. Muted merriment spilled from the humble complex and people hung at the entrance. Shouldering through the crowd, he stood at the ticket booth and a weary receptionist answered him.

"Thank you all for coming." The actor bowed, the lights in the rafters amplifying his features and smile. "Please come again for Act III, it will take place next week, from morning till the evening!" He bowed again and reached for a rose thrown by an audience member, grinning coyly at the blushing fan, Zidane blew air kisses and the audience erupted cheerfully, screaming and throwing more flowers and curiosities on stage. He waved his hands dramatically as guards filed the hysterical crowd outside.

"I'm sorry, the play is over," the receptionist drawled and pointed a tired finger at the board. "The times are written over _there_." The man spun around and glared at the board, it showed a gaudily dressed couple reaching for each other. "The play resumes again next week, Sunday mid-morning, you are free to come then." Clucking his tongue in annoyance, the man circulated the public plaza, eyes peeled for side streets. Half melting into the shade cast by two stone buildings, he waited patiently. The late afternoon heat dissipated and ushered in a welcome chill, despite the hour, Alexandria bustled. More people injected into the streets and groups of children congregated around ice-cream stalls. Food carts wheeled into the plaza and the smell of sputtering oil spilled into the air.

Emerging from the theater after a long, hard day of acting, Zidane looked forward to going back to his modest apartment and working on the next script. However, the moment he stepped on the streets choking with the aroma of fried foods, his tail twitched. _Danger._

Comforted by the dual daggers sheathed in a hidden compartment in his pants, Zidane waved half-heartedly to the people passing by and mind occupied, he skimmed into a side street. Wandering in aimless circles, he nursed the feeling of danger and eventually trailed after it.

He found Kuja leaning against one of the city's old walls and casually examining his nails.

The two held each other's gazes for a long time, measuring, judging. At last, Zidane took his place opposite the older genome. "What are you doing in Alexandria? I thought you went on a quest to redeem yourself..." he asked and waited for an answer. Kuja might grace him with an explanation, or he might not. Zidane long gave up trying to read his supposed, older brother.

"I came here for Cosmos' Crystal," Kuja said without missing a heartbeat. "In the previous war, the Goddess gave it to you, I want it."

"For what?" Zidane demanded, eyes narrowed. The Crystal, an irregular shaped piece of amber, was locked in a safe at the theatre, amongst his most prized props. Zidane regarded the Crystal as a good luck charm and owed his current popularity to it. Apart from that, he kept is as a memento from a beautiful lady. "Why do you want the Crystal?" he asked again and tensed.

Normally dressed in very little clothing, Kuja shrugged his jacket off before he began sweating. Sweating was gross. "I've been instructed to destroy the Crystal and this world by Shinryu," the genome easily replied and Zidane rooted to his spot, shocked by such a clandestine confession. "I'm not lying, give me the Crystal and I'll think about sparing this city."

"Don't do it," Zidane pleaded, hand resting on the hidden sheath. "You aided us in the war, me and Terra remember?" He tried to cajole the spark of humanity back in the once, soulless, selfish genome. "Please don't go back to your old ways Kuja, it's not worth it."

"I want to see the Crystal," Kuja's words seeped through clenched teeth, "bring it to me."

People surged around Cosmos, giving the tall goddess a wide berth. They respectfully nodded at the regal lady and hurried on with their tasks. The first stars shone against a blue-black sky and lanterns, sustained by magic, lit up one by one, like giant fireflies. Enraptured by the sights and smells of Alexandria, she slowly waded, the cobblestones cool under her bare feet. A low drone hummed in the sky above her and she looked up, eyes crinkling when a large airship chugged a thin trail of dirty white smoke.

"Look Hwit, Alexandria Castle, is it not beautiful?" She pointed to the magnificent castle perched on the horizon, glowing by the aid of lanterns and the sky piercing crystal. The moogle warped into view, large, dark wings almost cocooning his small, furry body. Hwit flapped erratically and tiredly sat on Cosmos' shoulder. "To think this planet, this beautiful city is waiting to be destroyed."

"Hmph," Grunted Hwit, unable to muster the strength to say anything else.

"Rest on my shoulder, I feel the Crystal's power, pulsing in the heart of the city," the goddess declared. "I shall go there and hopefully meet my Warrior." A blurred image of a blonde, lithe male popped on her mind. "I believe..." Cosmos delicately rested her hand on her shoulder, securing Hwit lest he fall off. "I remember him as a chivalrous flirt."

The moogle shifted, making his limp body comfortable. "You mean pervert," he rasped. "This Warrior of yours is a pervert," he declared, finality laced in his voice.

Smiling at the surging memories, Cosmos let her hood down and ambled through the city. Moss peeked through ancient stone walls, bell towers and church spires decorated the skyline. Sweeping through the streets and brushing her fingers across the building facades, she smiled at the children following her and one boldly came up to her and threaded his arm through hers. The small band cheered and led her across the city. Cosmos' gaze veered to a raised flowerbed, where roses and tulips of all shades vied for dominance, smiling genially at the salt and pepper haired lady tending to them, she allowed the crowd of youngsters to whisk her away. Their chatters filled her ears and their high pitched giggling, rung like music.

A god must be impartial...Hwit slept on her shoulder, his dark wings hooked on her jacket. The tiny snores emanating from the moogle sounded like whispers of admonition.

Saving the planet was a duty, whether it be for the laughing children in front of her, or the tyrannical kings ascending the thrones.

She must do it. Even if it meant centuries of bloody history and suppression.

Smile dimming and thoughts far away, Cosmos followed the children, her footsteps cracking the stone.

"This is the real thing." The Crystal diffused an amber glow across Kuja's pale face and he examined it from all angles. Scratching the surface with a purple, stiletto nail, he finished his scrutiny and tossed the Crystal in his palm.

Shoulders tensed and arms crossed over his chest, Zidane watched the older genome like a hawk. "Are you satisfied now?" he irritably asked, still wary of Kuja's intentions. Nothing flitted across the older man's face, emotions did not betray Kuja, he betrayed them. "If you are done, give it back, its safe here." Zidane mumbled under his breath and indicated the safe.

"Are you sure?" Kuja asked, long fingers wrapping around the Crystal's orange surface. "Nothing is safe here, not anymore." Still holding the Crystal, he spun around, boots screeching on the theater backstage tiles and marched for the exit. Inhaling sharply, Zidane followed hotly in the older man's heels. At night, darkness painted eerie umbrae in the spaces between the building's pillars. Lively during the day and bedecked with colorful fabric, the theatre, Zidane's pride and joy, became a ghostly complex after dark. "You are totally ignorant of the inter-worlds war aren't you?"

Tone assuming a chastising quality, Kuja paused abruptly and Zidane careered to a stop, short of crashing into the taller genome's back. "The war in the other world escalated...it's a one sided war. Normally," Kuja's voice echoed and re-echoed, bouncing off high windows and elaborate light fixtures, "warriors from both sides are selected. The energy created with the clash of good and evil is harnessed by Shinryu-" his lips twisted into a frown of disgust, "and he keeps the other world sustained, ridding it from evil influences...looks like an almighty dragon isn't above absorbing power for itself and trying to take over the other worlds." The genome gasped for breath and frowned, clutching his chest. "We need to leave," he rasped and whirled out of the theatre.

Mind spinning with Kuja's news, Zidane tried to make sense of the events. His shoes squeaked on the floor and without seeing, he exited the theatre and spilled on the lamp lit streets of Alexandria. The public square, alive with street performers of all kinds, brought on a wave of anxiety and it settled in the pit of his stomach. A nest of dread. "So what you are saying is...Shinryu gathered all of the Chaos Warriors and now wants to take over the worlds?" Zidane clarified and Kuja nodded, his lilac hair quivering. "What does this have to do with Lady Cosmos' Crystal?"

An off tune accordion bled sounds in the air and irritated by the ear grating noise, Kuja shot the player a glare. Immune to such glares, the man continued, squeezing the instrument much to the delight of those present. "The Chaos Warriors are targeting Cosmos' Crystal."

"I can see that," Zidane snarked and meaningfully subjected Kuja to a knowing stare. "You are holding it rather protectively."

"I am going to keep it safe," the older genome professed confidently and warped the Crystal whilst Zidane, mildly disturbed, gawked.

"That doesn't make sense!" The blonde fought to keep his anger under control. "The Crystal is mine, _you_ confessed to being a pawn of Shinryu, why should I trust you with it? Give it back!" Fingers nimbly slipping into the hidden pocket, he retrieved his dual daggers and held them, palms sweaty and knuckles taut. "I am to keep the Crystal safe on behalf of the Lady."

The crowds stopped to eagerly witness the spectacle; a young woman fanned herself vigorously and cheered Zidane on. Who knew the actor threw surprise plays on the streets? The audience critically inspected Kuja and he beamed at them. Swayed by his charisma and handsome looks, the crowd drew a secure circle around the two as the older genome bowed and basked in the attention. Feeling the situation escalate rapidly out of his control, Zidane pleaded for the people to disperse, but ensnared by charm, the gathering continued growing in size.

Taking advantage of the crowd, Kuja teleported.

Arriving in a network of unfrequented backstreets, the genome immediately slammed against a wall. The stones, slightly damp and begrimed with dirt, pressed into his back and an armored hand held him aloft. A circle of fire bloomed in his palms and slamming it into the wall, Kuja escaped from Exdeath's vise grip.

The two stood opposite each other. "Do you have the Crystal?" the armored man demanded and grinned widely under his helmet, Kuja extracted the softly glowing, irregular piece of crystal from the depths of his jacket pocket. "Good, give it to me," Exdeath ordered and expectantly waited for the Crystal.

"What do I get in return?" Kuja asked, holding tightly on the glowing rock. Silvers of pale light washed across his face, reflected from Exdeath's armor and played across the walls. "I want compensation, tricking my brother for this Crystal left a sour taste in my mouth."

"Hah!" Exdeath scoffed. "Betrayal and cowardice, the two qualities you are well known for!" The tree cackled, voice booming in his helmet. "Compensation? There is no compensation here; you are simply doing what is required for you. Lord Shinryu will reward you handsomely for your efforts." Exdeath lunged for the Crystal but a luminescent manikin of Kuja's blocked his path. A ring of magic exploded in the former's face and growling in rage, he unsheathed his sword and sliced the manikin in half.

Two others materialized in the place of one.

The alleyway filled with pompous, haughty clones of Kuja as he smirked victoriously from behind them. Cursing, Exdeath attempted to slice his way out of the wall of bodies but the manikins put up a fierce resistance.

Another blur arrived at the edge of the side streets and before Zidane sunk his twin daggers in the numerous, exposed parts of Kuja's body, the genome twirled out of the way, his nails catching the back of Zidane's clothes. "We are leaving," he hissed and dragged the protesting Zidane with him whilst more manikins erupted in his wake. "Exdeath wants the Crystal, and I'll be damned if he gets his hands on it!"

Wrenching out of Kuja's grasp, Zidane held a gleaming dagger to his throat. "I don't trust _you_ either!" he commented and blinked at the hint of shock etched in Kuja's eyes. "First off, tell me what's going on, the whole story." Easing the dagger away from Kuja's throat, Zidane stood firm.

A spear of light disintegrated a nearby wall. Another plume of light exploded right next to Zidane, demolishing the pavement beneath his feet. Jumping away, he ducked when a sword whistled over his head. In the commotion, Kuja disappeared and cursing under his breath, Zidane turned to the armored monstrosity currently blocking his path.

He remembered Bartz referring to this particular Warrior of Chaos as the Tin Tyrant. The wanderer regaled tall stories of a tree used to seal evil. The overwhelming negativity of the evils eventually birthed Exdeath. Confused by the light magic he wielded, Zidane nimbly sprang to the side when another lob of pure magic threated to erase him from existence.

* * *

A disturbance rippled from the city and spread. Clashes appeared on the peaceful facade of Alexandria and intersected, affecting the people. The street lamps flickered and Hwit woke up, rubbing his wing across his face and glaring at no one in particular. He shifted his scrutiny at an innocent, stone post and hissed under his breath when it imploded into nothing. Shaking soil off her hands, Cosmos straightened from her bent position, on the city's sidewalk and gently held Hwit in her hands. "Trouble brews," she stated and the moogle nodded.

"A traitor runs loose," he agreed and growled. "I'm leaving," Hwit brusquely announced and melted from view.

Alarmed by his words, Cosmos gazed at the city, her Warrior fought valiantly against a pawn of Shinryu and another one, his agenda clouded, zigzagged through Alexandria's streets, desperately trying to keep out of the radar. The Warrior of Chaos, finding the battle futile, broke away from combat and chased the wayward pawn. Her Crystal, an amber beacon of charm and trust, shone within the rogue Warrior's fingers and Cosmos clapped her hands, parting them slowly.

Cierr Harmonia shone under the ebony sky, grasping her scythe firmly, Cosmos joined the hunt.

* * *

**A/N:** Kuja is such an enigmatic, flamboyant character. I enjoyed writing him. Zidane is well...Zidane. I'm not sure how I handled his character but I like to imagine him basking in the attention of an audience, bowing and beaming under a spotlight.

Please read and review, constructive criticism is highly appreciated.

And remember to keep yourself happy.

At Nonny: I was honestly tearing my hair out when writing Shantotto, but it was worth it I guess. I never cared for Kam, he was just...there. Grumpy Hwit? I love writing grumpy, frumpy Hwit, its therapeutic. As for Okami's wall demons, I had to jot those weak spot dots down on a pad of paper and I still got them wrong. Needless to say I gave up on them. Weather dragons? I must've been permanently pissing them off because I never get good weather. I like the design of Chinese/Japanese dragons but with wings on them. Wings make everything cooler.


	23. Liquidation

**Liquidation**

The goddess swooped over rooftops, garnering a bird's eye view of the streets below. At midnight, people still clogged the streets of Alexandria and the castle loomed over the City, a symbol of both hope and tyranny. White jacket and gold accents gleaming against the dim surroundings, she dove when a man crossed her path. Clad in scanty clothes and expertly hiding his tail, Kuja came to a screeching halt when a curved scythe encircled his throat.

"I have been looking for you," He announced and despite the blade, courteously bowed.

Elsewhere, in an alleyway swarming with Kuja's manikins, two individuals fought for control. Each time Exdeath blasted off a dozen heads, the manikins reformed with frightening speeds and maintained a tight circle around him. The ghostly hands bloomed devastating magic and the before long, giant pot holes ripped the streets. Rings of magic bound Exdeath's arms to his sides and he tore them effortlessly apart. Orbs of fire and ice alternately rained on him, freezing and frying him, roaring, he felled the manikins and descended on the genome dancing out of his reach.

Tail responsible for his expert balance, Zidane bounced out of the way and gritted his teeth when his short daggers did nothing to Exdeath. His slim blades were incapable of piercing the thick, cursed armor wreathing the tree and they merely bounced off. Switching tactics and taking advantage of the manikin hoard which, to Zidane's puzzlement, did not attack him; he waited for a magic circle to activate. Exdeath, consumed by an inferno, hurled ear peeling curses to the air and when the fire died, the genome slammed his modified daggers together and with magic wreathing his blades, stabbed Exdeath. The thing under the armor did not feel like flesh and screwing the blade tighter into the not flesh, he jumped before the armored man clubbed him. No blood decorated the blade edges of Zidane's weapon and he stared at his clean weapon curiously. Furious, Exdeath called for light and a shower of blinding forks rained from the sky.

Closing his eyes, Zidane crouched and when he opened them, he blinked stars out of his eyes. A deserted alleyway stretched before him, fallen manikins, some still alive, twitched with spears of light protruding from their chests.

* * *

Producing the goddess Crystal, Kuja presented it to Cosmos. "This is yours, I took it from Zidane to give it to you," he explained. "Exdeath is following me...no, he is after the Crystal." He gestured to the amber glow in the goddess' hands. "If Zidane had it, Exdeath would have pried it out of his cold, dead hands. I knew you were looking for the Crystal, your actions and movements are often tracked by Ultimecia and Exdeath."

"_You_ are the traitor..." Cosmos broke off and nodded in understanding.

"Hmph," Kuja threw his head back and smiled. "I prefer to call myself a reformer." He grinned in self-satisfaction. "But you have a point." Silence lapsed between the two whilst Cosmos broke the Crystal and absorbed its essence. Her hair shimmered and Kuja stepped away, overwhelmed by the raw power diffusing in waves. "Well, my work here is done, I need to go back and check up on-"

He teleported to safety when stone crumbled under his feet. The moment he warped back to the material world a few seconds later, Exdeath buried his sword in Kuja's chest.

"TRAITOR!" the armored tree roared and Kuja gurgled, heat spread from the stab and tingled to the ends of his fingers and toes. Pain bloomed and cold sweat cropped on his skin. "You will be punished severely for your actions." Exdeath retracted his blade, voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "I will see to it that the Void enjoys your company forever, you will become one with the Void."

Slightly disgusted at the blood seeping into his immaculately white, cropped jacket, Kuja smirked haughtily. "I do not share your burning desire to become one with the Void," he hoarsely rasped, already feeling the strain of his betrayal. "No matter, we will see who buries who first."

Standing on the sidelines, Cosmos chose to merely observe the upcoming battle.

Hair tinting crimson, Kuja snarled. A series of magic rings floated around him and targeted Exdeath who dissipated them with blasts of light. Feathers sprouted on the genome's arms and shoulders. A long tail, free, whipped around, cracking stone. He cast Cure on himself and the stab wound stopped bleeding. Blood matted with the crimson fur growing on his chest and concentrating all of his remaining power, he conjured a black magic fireball within his clawed hands.

Meanwhile, the goddess directed Cierr Harmonia with her hands; the scythe scratched a protective boundary on the stone steps. A translucent barrier shimmered, unseen to the public and she lamented the necessary destruction within its borders.

The fireball within Kuja's claws grew brighter, searing retinas and squinting against the brilliance, Exdeath braced himself. Confident Shinryu will punish the genome severely for his betrayal; he waited for Kuja to spontaneously combust. Unfortunately for him, the genome, face twisted and lacking his usual grace, raised his arms to the air and with a grotesque smirk pressed on his lips, hurled the Flare at Exdeath.

Heat boiled Exdeath's skin from within his armor; blisters popped up and burst, flecking the insides with a mixture of clear fluids streaked with blood. Nose wrinkling at the stench of charred flesh, the armored tree rose higher and higher, his auto regenerative ability kicking in before the Flare erupted. The heat wave billowed outwards, like a boiling pit of lava and melted the stones making up the city of Alexandria.

Hair singed, Cosmos regally surrounded himself with a protective bubble and clutched her scythe, eyes searching for the two Warriors amongst the smoke and melted debris.

Breaths erupting in ragged exhales, Kuja lowered to the floor, his soles burning on the still smoking streets. Above him levitated Exdeath, armor soft but unyielding.

"You lost," Exdeath droned, voice choked with fumes. "Now hand over the Crystal before I behead you."

Managing to smile in the face of death, Kuja shrugged. "I already gave it to the goddess; you are too...late..." Blood bubbled on his lips and he looked down, at the elaborate sword piercing him under the left ribs. "You lost..." Kuja gurgled, "_I won._"

Growling furiously, Exdeath flicked pearls of blood off his sword and they spattered on the pavement, hissing. Raising his sword, he swiped it across, catching Kuja's head and cleanly slicing it from the latter's neck. The flames surrounding them licked against the barrier erected by Cosmos and died down, belching smoke. Glaring at the traitor's lifeless body, Exdeath summoned a pillar of holy light and incinerated the corpse into a heap of grey ashes.

And Cosmos watched, her eyes dipping in sympathy, she brought her palms together in prayer; praying for the brave Warrior who defied his fate. Praying for his salvation and eternal peace.

* * *

Rumors of a fire dancing within a dome in the eastern quarter of Alexandria reached Zidane's ears and he rushed to the spot. The city twittered endlessly as civilians emerged from their homes and shared gossip with their neighbors. Overheard, a military airship droned, cutting the darkness with powerful search lights. It chugged a stream of dirty white smoke and slowly converged to the site. Panic constricting his chest, Zidane zipped through backstreets and gripped his dagger tightly.

What happened?

Did Kuja really flee with the Cosmos Crystal?

What of Exdeath? Was he part of the explosion?

Questions running rampant in his head, he sped through the deserted alleyways, pausing once to help someone being mugged. The perpetrator spat curses, before hitting the ground, out cold. Nodding at the heartfelt thanks dished by the victim, Zidane fled, partly relieved and partly angry with himself. When he finally reached the site, lungs and muscles burning from the effort of sprinting, he came to a dead standstill.

Ashes blew in the wind, dusting his face and lips. Exdeath and Lady Cosmos whirled around each other, locked in a tight combat. A pure white scythe flashed around and the tin tyrant barely escaped with his limbs intact. Light magic from both sides clashed and dissipated with eye searing flashes. Leaving the two to swerve around each other in a deadly dance of death, Zidane searched for Kuja, surely the older genome must be here?

More ashes settled on his hair, his shirt lapels. He tasted the dust lingering in the air.

Giving Exdeath and Cosmos a wide berth, Zidane crept along the barrier, pressing his hand against the invisible surface. His sneaker soles smoked and heat baked his skin. A loud scrape alerted him to the hurtling form of Exdeath and reflexively, he crouched as the armored man smacked against the barrier and bounced back, colliding painfully with what remained of the floor. Ragged rasps escaped the slit in his helmet and Zidane straightened when the goddess teleported, her jacket flaring dramatically behind her. She leveled her scythe at the fallen warrior and addressed Zidane.

"The Warrior you search for, has been reduced to ashes," She softly said and lowered her eyes respectfully. Her gaze hardened when it landed on Exdeath and mired by shock, Zidane merely gaped, mouth opening and closing like a water starved fish. "The Crystal he took from you, he gave to me. I needed the Crystals to regain my power," Cosmos explained. "This is accounted as betrayal on his part, and thus, another pawn of Shinryu was sent to 'chastise' him. Kuja is dead."

"Kuja...dead..."

Zidane echoed dazedly, his daggers threatening to slip from suddenly numb hands. He wiped soot from his shirt and stared at the grey stain. "Reduced to ashes." He recalled Cosmos' earlier statement and raised his face at the grainy environment. Tiny flakes drifted lazily in the air. Miniscule parts of Kuja. Beyond the barrier, people craned their necks for a glimpse inside the hell hole and Zidane detachedly wondered if this was some sort of bizarre play.

He gripped his daggers tightly, irises piercing Exdeath rising from the ground.

Exdeath, the tin tyrant, responsible for so many atrocities.

And now responsible for Kuja's death.

Since his so-called expedition of reformation, Zidane grudgingly came to respect the older genome. Perhaps he looked up to him as a brother of sorts. Kuja often sent letters, dramatic soliloquies detailing his journey. He also divulged details of the genome project, of the trance system and different forms of magic.

Now _nothing_.

Nothing...

Zidane's throat closed up. It was the same sensation he felt when Princess Garnet left him to resume her royal duties, he tried to run after her and stopped. The court life did not appeal to him. Too many restraints and rules. He lived like a free soul and that castle will only clip his wings.

His body became hot and cold. His hair tinted pink. The sounds from the fight behind him muffled in his ears as Zidane slammed his daggers together and twirled it above his head. Clothes shredded and rose fur growing along his arms and shoulders, he articulated a low roar when Exdeath slammed against the barrier again. Blood boiled in his veins and when Cosmos teleported above the fallen tin tyrant, Zidane begged her for a chance.

She lowered her scythe, her hair framing her face. Beautiful, some part of Zidane's mind noted. He had seen few people as beautiful as Cosmos and under ordinary circumstances, would not hesitate to try all of his charms on her. Of course the goddess, immune to his flattery, would merely shrug his advances off but Zidane never ceased to try.

Turning his smoldering gaze on the dented Exdeath, he launched from the strip of barely intact pavement on the ground and the remaining stones crumbled under his feet.

Growling, the genome, streaks of fuchsia fire wisping off him, crushed Exdeath's head against the barrier. The hexagonal plates sparked but did not break. Bunching his legs together, he pounded them into the armored Warrior's abdomen, primordial satisfaction curling his lips when Exdeath doubled over and moaned in pain. Tail wrapping around the target's throat, Zidane buried his glowing, cyan blade in the shoulder. Exdeath grunted in frustration and lobbed magic. Diving to avoid the projectiles, the genome parted his weapons and lunged, blades gorging deep through Exdeath's armor and cutting into his abdomen. Streamlets of pale pink blood flecked the cursed armor. The tree parried a few attacks and to Zidane's astonishment, the wounds healed remarkably quickly. Frustrated, he hopped back, pressed his daggers back into a double edged blade stick and whirled it around, scoring thick lines on Exdeath and the armor.

In the midst of the chaos, the public pressed their faces against the barrier, seeing but not quite comprehending the spectacle. Smoke wreathed the insides; someone recognized Zidane and shouted energetically. Must be an exclusive play, they nodded and surged closer to the barrier. Others, knowing the nature of magic, shook their heads and drained away from the streets. Inside the protective shield, Cosmos shook her head, foolish humans. Above her, the air whirred and military air ships converged, helpless to aid or interfere in the battle.

Metal sheared metal. The sound grated on the ears and Zidane leaned on his blade stick. Exdeath put up a tough resistance but he too, showed signs of severe fatigue. The genome did not want to see what lay under the armor, the little he glimpsed, made him nauseous. Blisters popped along the armored tree's bark-like skin and muscles knotted together, like numerous branches bunched together. Instead of a normal skin color, Exdeath appeared ghostly white and Zidane retracted his blade from the floor and leveled it at the enemy's throat.

"I don't fight for revenge," He hoarsely announced, "but you leave me little choice." Outside, the people cheered, such heroics! But their screams drowned in the blood roaring in Zidane's ears. "I will fell you, here and now. The ashes will bear testament to your death."

Reality tore behind Exdeath and the straightened from his bent position, using his slim sword as support. Laughing, he fell back into the Void and furious, Zidane scrambled after him, screaming.

A white scythe clanged between him and the gaping Void; claws dragging against the ground, Zidane stopped and stared dismally as the portal folded. He dropped to the floor, frustrated, exhausted and sapped. Trance slowly undid itself; salmon pink feathers dropped, littering the floor and swirling amongst the ashes. Hands crossing over his chest, Zidane curled into a ball and shuddered when a jacket dropped on his bare body.

He looked up to Cosmos and buried his face in his hands.

* * *

Thunderous applause filled the theatre hall and the actor bowed low amidst cheers and praises. Deeply moved by the play, the audience threw roses, flowers and gifts on stage and as the curtains drew to a close, Cosmos rose from her chair and clapped along the rest of the people. Voices swam in her ears and people, overwhelmed by emotion, patted their eyes dry. Given a wide berth, the lady wound her way through the throngs and glided backstage. Porters scurried to and fro, arms loaded with props and other play materials. Stage back-ups rushed to touch on their make-up and Cosmos paused, eyebrows lifted in surprise as she watched a human with an animal head stomp through a corridor, shouting instructions. A guide led the way to Zidane's vanity room and the door opened soundlessly.

He perched on a stool, in front of a mirror decorated unnecessarily with small bulbs. His tail twitched and he swung around, an insincere smile on his face.

"It is alright to grieve," Cosmos stated and examined a flamboyant mask; she lifted it off the stand and fixed it on her face. At this, Zidane managed a little laugh and nimbly launched off the stool. "The Void is still closed," the goddess pulled the mask off her face and placed it back on the stand, "and I am unable to traverse it."

Fiddling with a costume, Zidane spun on his heel. "Does this mean you are stuck in my world?" he asked, honestly, the prospect did not seem so bad, he could spend more time trying to win over Cosmos, but the pensive furrow of her eyebrows related lives at stake. "Exdeath," the name tasted like acid on his tongue, "probably has something to do with it, he's always going about the Void _this_ and the Void _that_!" the genome gestured theatrically. "But being a goddess, can't you force the Void to open for you?"

"Of course," the lady replied confidently, "however I need a destination, floating endlessly in the Void does not bode well for anyone." Cosmos, interested by the props and costumes littering the vanity room, rifled through the contents, picking articles of gaudy clothing and placing them back after a mild scrutiny. "I do not know my next destination," she trailed off, "I do not remember the Warrior's name."

Watching Cosmos delicately put down a faux crown, Zidane laced his hands behind his head. "Exdeath is probably going after Bartz," he informed and the goddess faced him, strands of hair escaping her hood. "Bartz Klauser, he also has a Crystal and although I don't really know where he lives, I'm sure you will find him...he likes to wander around though." Zidane listed everything he could think about Bartz and sat on his stool. He sensed a shift in the atmosphere, something only years of thieving achieved and a tingle raced up his spine.

Without warning, the goddess made for the door and a lump formed in Zidane's throat.

He discreetly followed her out of the theatre. White jacket whirling around her, Cosmos marched for the outside; she stepped into dying sunlight with her scythe gleaming in her hands.

At the entrance, Zidane stopped.

"Will you come back?" he asked, "for a visit I mean...when all of this is over?"

Why did everyone leave and never come back?

The goddess did not reply. She did not turn around. The fabric of reality parted and swallowed her whole.

* * *

**A/N:** I may or may not have shed a tear when writing Zidane. Someone give him some love. Also, reviews and constructive criticism are always appreciated.

I have to apologize for the late posting, I went to visit family in the village home which is in the jungle and I'll stop yammering now.

At Nonny: Can the Chaos warriors act against Hwit? That's a good question but even though they can't put their finger on it, the little furry moogle scares them. I don't think it'd matter if Exdeath figured it out, and why can't Hwit act against them? He killed the Cloud of Darkness. Shinryu (and Hwit by extension) are not above killing off those they deem unnecessary. And yeah, in whatever religion, it seems higher beings are not above dragging mortals into their schemes.


	24. Like a bird, like a plane

**Like A Bird, Like A Plane**

Revenge.

The goddess understood the mortal's need to avenge. But what purpose did it serve?

Hood drawn low over her forehead, she traipsed the desert, the burning sun shone forcefully on her and streams of sweat snaked down her temples. Part desert, a bit of forest, flickered in the heat and Cosmos stopped when sand met a strip of greenery; Zidane's plea rung at odd times in her ears and she remembered him, tear streaked, clutching her jacket around his petite shoulders and spitting fire. He demanded that she avenge his brother and to appease his boiling emotions, she agreed.

Revenge.

Cosmos did not understand what it achieved. Will killing Exdeath bring the dead Kuja back to life? No. Will it grant a semblance of peace to Zidane? Perhaps, but of what use is peace with a foundation of spilled blood?

Coarse grass soothed her scalded toes. Slightly bewildered by the alternating layers of forest and desert, she raised her blue eyes to the cloudless sky and glimpsed two worlds superimposed on each other. Once separated, they clashed together and where there was forest, now turned into a shimmering, golden sea of sand. Cacti bloomed plentifully, however, desertification choked the remaining life out of the forest and around her, Cosmos listened to the sound of decay and death. Bending, she cupped a struggling flower in her palms and the plant immediately sprang to life. Pulling her hood down and prying plastered strands of hair away from her face, the goddess sighed and narrowed her irises at the barren field stretching till the horizon. The Void spat her out in some desert death trap and she wondered if Bartz Klauser, her Warrior with the Crystal in this world, will ever set foot in his inhospitable field of sand and hallucinogenic plants.

She continued forward, singular purpose in her mind. To the goddess' credit, her footprints left tiny, weedy shoots in her wake. A line of green in the ocean of gold. The sun ascended, reached peak height and froze there, scorching everything mercilessly. Plants wilted, succumbing under the harsh rays of light and shielding them, she stood, searching the plains for someone.

_Anyone_.

Small patches of forest mapped the ever growing desert and under the layer of reality, Cosmos saw a lush green forest, heady with humidity and bursting with birdsong. Poisonous fungus grew on fallen logs and ferns struggled to survive on the forest floor.

_The Forest of Moore_, she heard the trees whisper.

A place where evil was sealed and contained. This dark forest, with its thick canopy refusing to let in light, was the birth place of Exdeath.

The vision melted and she paused when a large bird, a chocobo, stood several meters in front of her, tethered to a study tree and pecking at the tree's low hanging branches. Blinking to confirm her vision, Cosmos weaved through the miniscule forest and gently stroked the bird. It did not squawk in alarm, much to her delight and instead, nuzzled her hand with its large, shiny beak.

"You must be Boko," Cosmos petted the bird, "and that means my Warrior must be somewhere nearby." She wondered what possessed Bartz to trek through a desert and come all the way here. Did he sense the inter-dimensional war? Or did Exdeath force him to flee? "I shall wait here for his return," the goddess announced and Boko squawked in agreement, beak poking Cosmos' hands for potential food.

The bird scratched the soil experimentally with its long, wicked talons and crooned in disappointment when no juicy earthworm burst from underground. Boko ruffled its feathers anxiously. This part of the desert forest scared him witless.

Unfortunately, his master's incurable wanderlust led him to this part of the world. Out of all the places Bartz could visit!

Sensing the bird's turbulent emotions, Cosmos, wreathed her arms around its neck and pressed her cheek against its head; Boko stopped stamping impatiently and calmed, feathers lying flat against his great body. He resumed listlessly pecking at the tree branches whilst the goddess scanned the horizon.

* * *

By sunset, the desert began to lose its heat. Ruby light danced across the sand dunes and flickered off tree tops. A mist slowly crept across the desert and once again, Boko chirped fearfully.

A loud, monstrous roar exploded from the eastern part of the desert and the bird flapped its wings, straining against the leash. A small dust cloud accompanied whatever careered wildly towards Cosmos and Boko and the screaming speck of dust grew larger, clarifying into a man chased by a desert monster.

His short blue cape, fringed with gold tassels at the end, flared behind him and Bartz screamed bloody murder as more desert monsters materialized from the mist and joined the hunt.

Boko spat curses, flapped irritatingly at the horde of monsters and Cierr Harmonia materialized in Cosmos' hands. She whirled the weapon above her head and slammed the butt end into the edge of the forest. A tidal wave of sand rose up in response, parted to let the confused Bartz through and descended vengefully on the demons. Growling threats, the monsters retreated to the edges of the desert and vanished back to the mist.

"Lady Cosmos!" the Warrior panted and sunk to his knees, clutching a leather water bottle to his perspiration soaked chest. "Thank you," he hastily bowed and offered water to his obviously starved companion. Drinking greedily, Boko squawked in gratitude and rubbed his beak fondly on his slightly deranged master.

Smiling benevolently at him, Cosmos waited whilst he regained his breath. Cold seeped across the desert and the Warrior shivered. "You do not seem surprised to see me," the goddess noted, "were you aware of my coming?"

Gulping a mouthful of water, Bartz secured the water-bag on Boko's flank and blinked. "Actually, I'm pretty surprised," he confessed. "I thought the Gods napped after the war in the other world was over. What made you come to these parts?"

"We do not nap," Cosmos patiently stated before answering. "And I came here to avenge Kuja's death and seek my Crystal."

Bartz paused in adjusting the saddle on Boko's back. "Avenge Kuja...but wasn't he the bad...ohh wait, he changed sides, I remember." An awkward silence descended on the two as Bartz sifted and corrected his wayward memory. "Oh right, the Crystal." he beamed, I have it right..._here!_" He rummaged through a side bag and flourished an irregular spike of deep purple and light cyan. A moon showed its pale face in the desert sky and the silver light seemed to gravitate towards the Crystal. "My lady, this is yours." he held it out eagerly.

"...You do not wish to know why I want it back?" Cosmos asked, slightly taken aback by the speed which he presented the Crystal. Bartz shook his head.

"I don't think you do anything without a reason," he responded as he unfolded a bedroll on the forest's damp floor. "It gets really cold at night," he shivered to emphasize his point and pointed to the bedroll, "I'm sorry I don't have a tent, don't really need one when I'm alone. But the bed is warm, please take it, I'll be with Boko over there." He pointed to a thicket of trees and wrapped the chocobo's leather leash in his hands. "We should leave a little before dawn," a yawn punctuated Bartz sentence, "it's not freezing cold at that time and it's perfect for travelling."

Staring at the bedroll and at Bartz shivering uncontrollably in the icy, biting wind, Cosmos shook her head. "I do not require rest; you should be the one to sleep." He nodded in relief and dived in the bedroll without a second thought. His actions teased a pearl of laughter from the goddess and she leaned against the tree trunk, wrapping her jacket tighter around her body. Snug as a bug, Bartz's eyes drooped closed...

...Before snapping open when the lady phrased a question. "Why are you here?" she pried.

...That was actually a really good question.

_Why_ was he here?

"I'm a chronic wanderer," he started with the most obvious answer. "I can't sit still, travelling soothes me." He shifted, trying to see the goddess' face. Under moonlight, her hair fell like a sparkling sheet of white gold over her back and shoulders. "And I wanted to see the Forest of Moore, its shrinking," he jerked his chin at the receding bits of forest, "and the desert is taking over. I wanted to see if the Tree of Life is still surviving. It's where I made a promise to protect this world and its magical crystals."

The Warrior yawned and trailed off while the goddess contemplated his story. The Forest of Moore, a place of great natural energy sprawled around the Tree of Life, and the Guardian Tree only permitted those it deemed worthy, to enter the forest. Soon, Bartz's ungainly snores drifted from the base of the tree and Cosmos settled for gazing at the star spangled sky.

* * *

Dawn came with a series of vibrant colors bleeding over the horizon. Like clockwork, Bartz rose and heaped his bedroll on Boko's flank. The chocobo searched for breakfast, wandering around the forest and spearing worms with his beak. It squawked cheerfully and the human and bird drowned the rest of the water. Shaking the leather skin bag dismally, Bartz quickly led Boko to the edge of the forest and ponderous, Cosmos followed them.

He pointed to a range of trees barely visible across the desert. "That is the Forest of Moore," he clarified, "or what is left of it, we need to hurry." The Warrior, shivering in a pale blue tank top, mounted Boko and shifted till the chocobo chirped in protest, he patted the feathery saddle behind him. "Boko runs really fast and he can take us both," the bird subjected him to an evil, beady eye, "we need to be there before sunset."

Studying the obviously disgruntled bird and his harebrained master, a smile lifted Cosmos' lips.

Riding across the desert, under the harsh glare of the sun on a chocobo struggling to balance two people? Why not? The goddess expected Hwit to materialize any moment, chastising her for her ways but the air remained damp and no moogle with oversized fangs and eyes of burning gold arrived to put her in her place. Bird song burst from the canopy of leaves and they screamed, their voices clashing against each other. The animals of the forest struck up a cacophony, warning of the dangers ahead. With the harsh cries resounding in their ears, the party set off. Ruffling his wings agitatedly, Boko kicked into a run and bumped in her seat, Cosmos dug her long fingers in Bartz' exposed shoulder.

The sun crept into view slowly as a dust cloud raced on the face of the desert. Lone cactus blurred past. Desert monsters emerged from behind dunes and raced along the bird. Boko swerved elegantly around the leaping monsters whilst Bartz unsheathed his sword and lopped the beasts' head off with precise strikes; he absentmindedly wiped his blade with a blood stained cloth and returned it into a leather holster. Another flock of bats rose in the west and here he groaned, twisted around to rummage in one of the many bags weighing Boko down and retrieved a bow. The chocobo vaulted over a small boulder laying in his path and whilst Cosmos held on for dear life, Bartz merely grunted and salvaged a quiver of arrows.

He strung one and aimed.

"You can use multiple weapons, like Firion." The goddess remarked as he let the arrow fly. A bat plummeted to the ground and the rest of its flock screeched in vengeance. "Do you need any help?"

Of course the Warrior would refuse, she thought. They tended to bear all responsibility on their shoulders.

Another arrow whooshed across the sky and Bartz squinted. "Help would be nice, yes!" he said and fired three more arrows in rapid succession as Cosmos regained her decorum. "Running out of arrows over here!"

A strange Warrior, this one.

"He is practical."

A low, hoarse voice sounded from Cosmos' shoulder and she craned her neck to see Hwit clutching on her jacket. The moogle regarded Bartz as the Warrior dove into his bag, picked up a katana and threw it back into his weapons carrier, he sifted through what appeared to be an armory and triumphantly extracted a pocketful of daggers. "He is practical," Hwit replied, "even if he is a simpleton." Sniffing, the moogle dissolved into a shower of black light before Cosmos could interrogate him and stifling a laugh at the expression of utmost concentration on Bartz's face, the goddess clapped her hands and slowly parted them.

Cierr Harmonia emerged, shaft first and spun in her hand.

Staring at the scythe, Bartz wondered how Cosmos would attack the monster bats from such a long distance. "Don't you have a bow...or a gun?" he asked.

"Gun?" Cosmos echoed.

Bartz, still bouncing on top of Boko, who relentlessly galloped forward, motioned with his fingers. "It looks like this and it goes bang," he explained, aiming at the bats. "A gun spits magic or bullets, these are these little metal balls that slams into something at high speed and kills them."

"How convenient," Cosmos agreed, the next time she created a godly weapon, perhaps she will settle for a pair of guns. "Unfortunately, I do not have a gun," saying this, she let her humming weapon go and it hovered upright. Bartz re-evaluated Cierr Harmonia's status as it blitzed towards the flying bats and danced, shredding through flimsy wings. The monsters converged on the weapon, grabbing it with their tiny claws but the scythe spun around and around, a tornado of light, and sent their essences back to the Void. Awestruck by the display but acutely aware of the threat creeping behind him, Bartz threw his dagger and impaled a tonberry on its forehead.

The monster swung its lantern angrily and threw it, tailing oil and fire along the way. Boko squawked indignantly at the smell of flames and terrified, put on a burst of speed. Right in front of the streaking bird and in the middle of the desert, a colossal sandworm burrowed from underground and emerged in a tidal wave of golden sand. Screeching to a halt, Boko craned his neck up and up and up till it threatened to snap its bony vertebrae and trembled in the shadow cast by the worm.

The scaly monster hovered, rows of saw-teeth snapping and dripping saliva. A dozen spikes capped its rounded head, replacing eyes and probably its brain. Refusing to move, Boko squawked weakly and ruffled his feathers; stroking his beloved bird, Bartz slid off the saddle and raised a curved scimitar, he waited for his godly companion to zap the worm into a pile of smoking ashes but she remained seated on Boko, who collapsed on the sandy floor, and smiled indulgently at Bartz.

"Um...there is a worm blocking our path," He gestured to the swaying thing, half of its body still wriggled underground, causing tremors. The goddess nodded. "And...I could kill it no problem but I'm tired and the heat is sapping my energy." The Warrior meaningfully pointed to the cruel sun and to his sweat drenched clothes. His cape wrapped his back like an extra, thin blanket. "Some godly assistance would be very helpful," Bartz tried one last time before sighing and sticking his scimitar in the sandworm's body. The thing wriggled and converged in its general direction, hovering over him with its mouth open.

Pointing an index finger at the worm, Cosmos shot a fireball and it slammed into the center body, sending it toppling backwards. The monster squealed and crashed, unable to get up. Seizing the opportunity, Bartz hiked up the monster and sliced it into neat little ribbons. The sandworm fell apart, free to let Boko through. Panting heavily, he flopped back on the saddle.

"No...water." He realized and pawed the leather water-bag. Desperately, he searched the surrounding areas for a ring of trees, an oasis to replenish the much needed fluids. More than himself, he was worried about Boko who did the bulk of the work.

"Here," Cosmos spread her hands and Bartz stared. He looked up to see a cloud converging above their heads and the solitary cloud darkened, pregnant with rain. Grateful for the shade, he opened his mouth as the first drops of rain fell. The water splashed on Boko's feathers and the bird cantered to a stop. "Let us rest," the goddess stated and Bartz jumped off, he searched the numerous bags of food and set up camp at the base of a solitary tree.

"So the Crystals are fragments of your power." Bartz, clothes steaming, pointed to the Crystal Cosmos turned over in her hands. "Each time you regain a Crystal, a fragment of your power returns." The goddess nodded and he observed the cloud still shading them. "It's handy, being able to manipulate the weather like that," he acknowledged. "You can decrease the temperature of the desert."

"That, I cannot do," Cosmos shook her head and beads of water spattered the hungry, desert ground. They evaporated instantaneously. "Only recently have I been able to manipulate the weather, after Kuja gave me the Crystal, manipulating the weather and governing over it are two different things."

"No go huh?" Bartz pouted thoughtfully. "And you can't just step in and help us mortals all the time?"

Cosmos refrained from speaking.

_"Impartiality is what makes us Gods"._

She remembered the glade where Shinryu imparted lessons. Whatever he touched, eroded. Did such distance make him bitter?

What changed him?

"I suppose not," the Warrior answered his own question. "That wouldn't make any sense. I mean, we are the ones saving the world and all that. Though I have to ask: what do Gods and Goddess do? What is your purpose?"

For a simpleton, he asks deep questions, with the proof being those words ringing in her ears.

What do Gods and Goddess do?

...What was _her_ purpose?

"I do not know."

* * *

**A/N:** Bartz the practical, I had fun writing him. Probably the only one who would let Cosmos do all the work, or so I like to think. Chocolate cake to all those who read. Please review and constructive criticism is always appreciated.

At Nonny: FF14, FF12 and FF1? *Squints at you suspiciously* Would Hwit like having his ears rubbed? Probably for half a second before he decides to snap because he is an almighty dragon and he has to keep up with appearances. I based him off a talking camel named Garbar in the Chronicles of the Red King series (by Jenny Nimmo). I like Kuja, even more so after his turnaround in Dissidia NT (not that I played it, just watched some cut-scenes) and I once read a fic about how the two of them could be brothers...and so I thought, why the hell not?


	25. Interdimensional Rift

**Interdimensional Rift**

The Forest of Moore edged closer, under Boko's worn talons, the ground shifted from loose, coarse sands to life giving soil. He raced on, one track mind leading him to a place dear to his master, the Tree of Life. Already, the chocobo welcomed the humidity and cool air. Once inside the Forest, the travelers would not be hard pressed to find food or water, for both was plentiful.

An irregular shaped piece of crystal glinted in the goddess' hands. Her distorted reflection stared back at her. Accusing. Bartz's words, said without any ulterior intention, ate at her. The Warrior phased out of his strangely contemplative mood a second later and whipped out a small flute. He said something about being able to play a piano and blew in the flute. The resounding music startled Cosmos out of her reminiscence and Boko chirped angrily, pecking Bartz on his shock of chocolate brown hair. Undeterred, he tried playing the flute again till the chocobo seized it and stomped it underfoot.

The bird and human proceeded to argue, human speech and chocobo squawks continuing well into the night. Eventually, Bartz admitted he could not play the flute and the two hugged it out.

And Cosmos watched, a fond smile lacing her lips.

Now, she turned the Crystal over in her hands, reluctant to break it and absorb its power. Will she need it for the fight against Exdeath?

_"I mean, we are the ones saving the world and all that, what do Gods and Goddess do? What is your purpose?"_

The haunting question came back to her. If she governed a world, why did she simply watch the suffering play out? As a goddess, did she not have the right to intervene and save her creation?

_And then what?_ Hwit's mocking voice infringed on her conscious. A canopy of trees blurred into view but she paid scant attention to her surroundings. _Will you continue saving the humans from the brink of destruction? Did you see how far they go to slaughter each other, to exploit each and every bounty coming their way? Are you blind? Do these creations learn when we Gods smite them? Do they learn anything from the decades, centuries and millennia of wrong doing and war?_

_What other choice do you have?_

_Did we not create them with a free will?_

_The ability to choose between what is good and what is not?_

"Yes," Cosmos thought out loud and stowed the Crystal back into her jacket pocket. Bartz looked at her questioningly and she smiled, waving her hand to indicate everything was alright. Boko trotted to a halt in the middle of a clearing and the travellers slid off. "This is the Forest of Moore." Cosmos turned around slowly, energy hummed in the rustling leaves and wind. A great spiritual power resided in the shrinking forest.

The clearing parted to reveal a fraying rope bridge swinging precariously over a deep chasm gurgling with water. Peering over the edge whilst Bartz mentally prepared himself to cross the bridge, Cosmos' fingers tingled. Banished in the chasm, the souls of demons and corrupted men alike, wailed, their hate searing her face. Retreating from the edge, she brushed her fingers across a weeping tree trunk and blood red sap pooled in her palm. The sap slowly hardened into lustrous amber and still, her Warrior paced anxiously in the clearing, his silk cape fluttering behind him whilst Boko snorted in what sounded like contempt.

Playing with the amber, Cosmos inquired, "Is there anything wrong?"

Shuddering, Bartz pointed to the creaking bridge. "Did I ever tell you I'm afraid of heights?" He frowned and shook his head. "I'm _terrified_ of them, each time I tell myself that I've done this before, but it doesn't make it any easier." He slunk through the grass, greaves resting at the foot of the bridge. "Now I'm gonna make a fool out of myself in front of you," he grumbled and steeling himself, stepped forward on the rickety slats of wood spanning the treacherous gorge.

Taking up his position behind the human, Boko encouragingly pecked Bartz on his back and the Warrior stiffened. Sensing his distress, the bird leaped on the side ropes whilst the human sputtered, and raced off. The bridge swung violently as Boko reached the other side and Bartz held on for dear life. From the opposite side, Boko tried again to cajole his master; face beading with perspiration and heart hammering in his chest, Bartz lifted his chin and marched forward. His stomach dropped somewhere between his legs and his throat became dry. As he fought a desperate battle against the natural instinct to look down and see how far he needed to fall before his skull split open like a ripe watermelon, warm hands pressed on his shoulders and guided him. Courage seeped into him, banishing all doubt and fear and savoring the feeling, he strode confidently to the other side. Taking a deep breath, he landed on a tuft of grass and exhaled in relief.

"Well that was stressful," the Warrior commented, "and thanks for helping me cross it. I've tried many times to get rid of my fear of heights, but each time I come across a new, high place, I freeze up."

He busied himself with consulting an old map. "You are remarkably honest," Cosmos lightly commented and squeezed the amber into shape. "You do not hide things."

"Can I hide things from you?" He asked and set off, Boko's reins wrapped around his hand.

"..." The goddess followed and saplings carpeted the space behind her. Daisies and violets, a sea of white and lilac covered the grassy plain. "You could always create a persona, a front. Most humans do this; craft an alternate persona to mask who they truly are." A monarch butterfly flitted away from her fingertips and circled Boko who snapped threateningly, the insect veered out of reach and settled in Bartz's hair.

Silence lay like a blanket on the forest canopy, the unnatural stillness hinted at an anomaly. Animals always knew danger long before humans did and often fled the scene of destruction. Cosmos drew back her hood and searched for animal life scurrying between the tree trunks or underneath the ground. Nothing. Not even an earthworm wriggled beneath her bare feet. Trees bowed away from the intruding duo and standing proudly in the middle of a cleared space with ancient roots running along the ground, the Tree of Life gleamed in a slat of sunshine piercing the overhead canopy of leaves. A thick, ornamental rope, dripping with paper charms roped the tree and the travelers stopped.

Tying Boko to the branch of a nearby tree, Bartz returned to the Tree of Life and stopped next to Cosmos. "My friends and I took oaths here," he gestured to the coppery bark, "we swore to protect the Crystals and our world." A cackle of ominous energy leafed through the tree and he stepped closer, unaware of its dangers. The air shimmered and the forest became denser. More trees filled the sparse gaps. "It's happening again, the other world, my world is phasing back, coming into reality." The Forest of Moore chirped with noise but the terrified screams of birds and beasts alike, raised the fine hairs growing along Bartz's nape. "Let's leave, I don't like it when the world transforms like this."

Hopping back, he spun around, disorientated by the changing landscape. Cosmos' eyes widened as the Tree of Life split vertically apart; the bark unraveled and revealed the Void within. And before she could reach out and hold Bartz, the tree sucked him inside. He did not scream, surprise replaced the terror on his face.

* * *

A belt of blood orange stars illuminated the dreary landscape of smoking craters cradling lava. Two moons circled each other, dancing across a perpetual twilight. Reclined in his iron throne, the bronze dragon opened his eyes and surveyed the barren landscape tumbling beneath him. Irises of burnished gold veered to a gilded cage hung in midair. A miniscule orb of light flitted agitatedly within, smashing against the bars and spinning back towards the center. The light repeatedly threw itself against the cage and retreated to the middle, exhaustion leaking off it in perceptible waves.

Shinryu regarded the orb in amusement. To think, a part of him actually escaped his greater conscious to accompany and guide Cosmos in her travels. Now the orb served as a backdoor to her doings. The goddess stood, mouth slightly agape at the tree swallowing her precious Warrior. Near her, a chocobo squawked up a storm, beating the earth with its powerful talons. Life grew plentifully at the woman's feet and soon, she stood in knee high tendrils and sweet smelling flowers.

And all he could do was devour the world and cleanse it.

The bronze dragon eased from his iron throne, armor plates rippling across its muscular body, the ball of light acted again at his approach, serving inside the cage so fast, it left streaks of light behind. Ignoring his spazzing piece of conscious, he spread his wings and a shadow grew on the land beneath him; launching to the skies, Shinryu sought out a large crater. He heard Ultimecia and the rest of the useless pawns plotting against him and wondered if he should eat them and rid himself of a nuisance.

No, the planesgorger decided, those pawns could always amuse him with their cheap tricks.

His metal tipped claws gouged the ground as he landed at the lip of a boiling pit of lava. The vent hissed and bubbled, flecks of melted rock dotted his hide and he folded his wings, laying them flat against his back.

**"Rise Chaos,"** he commanded, **"and serve me once more."**

The lava bubbled violently, great globs of liquid fire splashing against the rim and painting it a luminous red. Molten rock swept over his talons and he welcomed the searing heat. Slowly, a demon god rose from the depths of the pit, its horns piercing the liquid surface before the rest of it came up.

Chaos' four arms wrapped around itself and the demon opened his eyes, sweeping them across the barren plain he once claimed as home. His gaze rested on Shinryu and as he floated clear of the pool, with the lava dripping off him like mother earth's amniotic fluid, he lowered to the side of the pit and crouched.**"Cosmos,"** the demon's voice quivered, **"where is she?"** Shinryu turned and ignored his question. **"Where is she?"** Chaos demanded again, the skewed balance in the universe unnerved him. Why did he feel so weak and helpless?

He wanted to see Cosmos. However her divine prescience eluded this world.

Hooking a wicked wing claw under the babbling Chaos' chin, Shinryu studied his new Warrior intently. The demon's chin bled, drenching the dragon's wing. Unease swirled in Chaos' face. Good. The insecurity will make him an excellent target for brainwashing.

**"Cosmos walks the universes, neglecting her duty to this one,"** Shinryu whispered poisonously and unhooked his claw, **"neglecting her duty to**_**you**_**."** He shook blood free from his wing and blasted the remaining stains into nothing whilst Chaos tottered to his feet, unwilling to believe such news. **"What will you do Chaos? She remains unfettered, flying from one planet to the other whilst you are here, trapped in your skin, alone and afraid without your...Guardian."** Chaos roared angrily, the sound causing a tidal wave of lava to splash against his tail and lower legs. **"She claims to have lost her memories."**

At this, the demon appeared aptly horrified. Two of his arms wrapped protectively around himself whilst the other two scooped earth and fashioned it into a gigantic boulder. Growling, the launched the boulder to the skies and it fell, splashing into a crater.

**"She does not remember you,"** Shinryu continued, pleased with the hate seeding in the demon's chest.**"If you were to meet her now, most likely, Cosmos would behead you without a second thought."**

Chaos grabbed Shinryu by the throat with all four of his arms. His eyes blazed with hatred and wrath and the dragon smiled, lips pulling back to show dozens of menacing teeth. The planesgorger endured the demon's assaults with deceptive calm and reveled in the fury boiling in Chaos' chest.

**"Go find her,"** Shinryu urged. **"Force her to remember your existence."**

**"Force her to acknowledge you."**

* * *

Leaping into the tree felt queer and for a split second, Cosmos heard the tree cells screech and recoil in fear as she passed through them. Getting over their initial fright, the cells realigned themselves for work, repairing the damage and the xylem pumped harder, funneling water to all parts of the tree. Tumbling from the tree and to the other side, the goddess landed on top of a cuboidal building floating in space. Four towers stationed along the four corners of the stone cube and red tiles capped the turrets. She touched the floor and pulled her hand back from the carpet of thorny grass. Around her, several more of the cubed buildings floated aimlessly and instead of a horizon, swirling clouds orbited around her, parting at times to show planets and worlds she already visited before.

"The Interdimensional Rift," Cosmos said to herself and searched for Bartz. Did the Warrior accidentally hurtle to another world? She hoped so, the other world may provide a stability not found in the Interdimensional Rift, however, if Bartz listened to his innate, wandering whisperings, she feared for his life. The air was thick with the stench of evil, the very same smell which hung under her nose when Zidane nearly killed Exdeath.

The Warrior teleported into view and Cosmos froze. Exdeath no longer resembled anything she ever laid eyes on. His body, skin like white bark, perched on top of an assortment of demons and devils, the evils sealed within the tree. The demons constantly fought to escape their prison and each time one of them pried itself apart and leapt away from Exdeath's main body, a tree root shot out from his back and bound the wayward demon back again. Eyes travelling upwards, the lady's blue eyed gaze stopped at Bartz, hanging limply from the tyrant's blade. In his right hand, Bartz clutched a feather.

Boko's feather.

"He put up a handsome resistance," Exdeath admitted, "for a lone mortal. But his struggles amounted to nothing." The monster flung Bartz and he soared over the cuboid domicile's edges. Teeth gritted, Cosmos teleported, catching his falling body in her arms before the abyss claimed him forever. "Will you fight me, goddess?" Exdeath taunted as she laid Bartz to the ground and restarted his vitals. "The Interdimensional Rift is my domain; even you will be hard pressed to fight against me while I reside here and in this form."

Pressing her fingertips on the numerous wounds Bartz collected on his body, Cosmos healed them whilst Exdeath ranted of his glory. Displeased, she stood tall, her form diminutive in the face of the monster. The clouds cocooning the space swirled and parted, showing her snatches of 7th Heaven, of Balamb Garden and its students, of the lost Zanarkand, floating on a dream sea and Castle Baron, where Cecil sat ramrod straight with his Queen, Rosa. The images dissolved and reformed, showing smoke and ruins, the planet Vana'diel in repair.

Frowning, she clanged Cierr Harmonia on the ground. "I shall not stain my hands nor my blade with the filthy blood coursing in your veins," the goddess hissed venomously and Exdeath recoiled, growling ominously. "My scythe will touch nothing of you, I deem you unworthy to fight against me."

The monster roared, who else was there to fight for Cosmos? Where did she get such utter confidence from?! Few could best him in this neo-demon form and one currently lay the at goddess' feet, unconscious!

Turning her back contemptuously, Cosmos etched a circle, cutting the coarse blades of grass. Smoldering yet fascinated by her sheer audacity, Exdeath watched whilst roots constantly whipped off his body and securely chained some wayward demon trying to escape him. The goddess worked fast, drawing a gigantic summoning circle in a few moments. Squinting at the intricate circle, Exdeath combed through his memories, which particular Astral did the magic circle summon? If one of those godlings popped out, he will smite them back into their dimension. As he racked his brains, failing to figure out the combinations of circles and pentagons and heptagons the goddess drew, Exdeath stood his ground.

Nothing was more powerful than _him_.

Collapsing the scythe, the lady slowly stood at the head of the circle, the runes glowed, each shape assuming a different hue. To her left, a nonagon lit up in blue and Shiva materialized, sending a deathly cold wind billowing in the inter-dimension. Behind her, a pentagon cracked and Titan dug itself out from the deep, shaking chunks of lava veined rock from his shoulders. To the right, a dragon's furious roar rocked the building and Bahamut shook its wings, scaly neck coiling and reptilian eyes glaring at Exdeath. A tidal wave of water swept over the still snarling dragon and irritated, he spun around, spiked tail nearly bashing Shiva as Leviathan regarded the dragonoid coolly. Old Ramuh, twirling his staff in one hand and the other stroking his windswept beard, shimmered into view between the two and finally, a hexagon burst into flames; Ifrit descended from the sky, setting fire to the entire circle and the assembled Astrals flanked the tiny Cosmos and collectively glared at Exdeath.

**"He's ugly,"** Ifrit rasped, smoke curling from his mouth.

Shiva raised a blue eyebrow. **"You don't look any better, either."**

Bahamut roared, unable to articulate his feelings and Titan joined them. Their screams tore the ground beneath Cosmos' feet and Leviathan rippled, her serpent tail slapping against the two. **"Quiet!"** she hissed and the duo immediately obliged. **"We are to obey Lady Cosmos' orders."**

The goddess nodded and wordlessly pointed to Neo Exdeath. Taking their cue, the Astrals descended as one.

* * *

**A/N**: Tip of the day: Be honest like Bartz.

But really, who else gets this sinking feeling in their stomach when climbing a ladder? I can't be the only one. Irrational fears aside, please read and review, constructive criticism is always appreciated.

At Nonny: Hwit tries not to feel any emotions because it is in his job description to be totally detached. But everything changed when Shinryu attacked. Feelings of warmth and happiness are foreign to him, but so is anger and ire...though he feels the latter two the most.

Cosmos' base character was mine, I based her on the monotheistic god. All powerful, all knowing (or in the process of getting there) Other lovable quirks were added by the editor. As such, I admit she doesn't really have a past, I don't know much Dissidia. Honestly, I try not to think about what God's are supposed to do. Research for this fic has brought up quite a few questions on what a God really is and I prefer not to mush my brain about thinking too much about it. Also, unfortunately, I've never heard of Horizon Zero dawn.


	26. A realm reborn

**A Realm Reborn**

Six Astrals, Exdeath pondered. It is a miracle he survived as long as he had.

The godlings surged towards him, Bahamut and Leviathan leading the party.

Serpent and dragon slammed into the monster and demons wailing, Exdeath's colossal form toppled back.

Leviathan's razor sharp teeth dug into his shoulder and she ripped his arm out, trailing vines and roots along the way. She also freed a nest of lesser demons, slicing through them with her accordion tail before opening her mouth and drowning the remains in a torrent of water.

The clouds swirling around the Interdimension converged above Exdeath's head and he looked up as portals opened and the different worlds' angry thunderstorms converged on him. The demon tree's cells charred and instantly regenerated as Ramuh, eyes blazing beneath bushy eyebrows, raised his staff again and flashes of lightning fell on Exdeath's body like white hot spears.

Titan circled the monster's feet, slapping the building, one of the towers cracked at the base and leaned sideways, the Astral hefted the turret in one arm and used the pointed roof to spear Exdeath. The demons groveling the floor wailed and a shudder of pain traveled up the length of the monster.

Reaching for Bahamut, Exdeath brought the thrashing god of war closer to his face. The dragon bared its fangs, dripping with corrosive saliva and writhed, silver scales cutting Exdeath's palm. Suspending the dragon, Exdeath attempted to tear off Bahamut's wings but the Astral fired a Megaflare in the monster's face instead.

Wing bones snapped and bent, Bahamut crashed to the ground, next to Cosmos who stood idly. She stroked the dragon's head.

The Megaflare burnt most of Exdeath's upper body and dread vibrated in his limbs when his head refused to regenerate. Ice, he groggily concluded when a cold burn layered him.

Holy light blasted in all directions, catching Ifrit and sending him spinning towards the goddess. Instead of flinching and moving away, she rooted to the ground and the fire Astral back flipped, used Bahamut's gigantic snout as a springboard and leapt in the air.

**"Clear off,"** he warned, **"I will burn him with hellfire."**

The rest of the demons scuttled away from Exdeath's main, crumbling body. Finding her favorite place, right next to Cosmos and poking her cheek, Shiva snapped her fingers and the shadow of a colossal snowflake shimmered in the realm. Instantly, the demons froze and crumbled into dust. The sparkling dust settled in Cosmos' hair and the Astral gently wiped it off. **"Perhaps I should leave it on,"** Shiva mused, **"you look wonderful, coated in ice."**

The goddess smiled weakly and resumed judging the battle between the forces of order and chaos.

Above Exdeath, Ifrit hung, entire body frozen. He growled angrily, eyeballs swiveling to the fawning ice-goddess below. **"SHIVA!"** he bellowed, **"unfetter me or the next time we cross paths, I will turn you into a snowflake!"**

**"My spell targets demons,"** Shiva tilted her chin whilst Bahamut glared at her deplorably, in front of them, Leviathan coiled, blasting Ifrit with water and he ignited on fire. **"I cannot make an exception for you, **_**demon**_**."** the Astral sneered lightly.

Ifrit ploughed into Exdeath, a burning fireball incinerating anything remaining of the monster.

Scorched till his very essence, Neo-Exdeath dissolved.

Gone.

Lost forever in the annals of time.

The Astrals congregated around Cosmos, their forms flickering based on the portals opening and shutting behind them. Bartz, still limp on the coarse grass, stirred briefly, opened his eyes to see Ramuh leaning over him and promptly became unconscious a second time. Kneeling next to him, the goddess searched for innate injuries, found none and breathed a sigh of relief.

The Interdimensional Rift shifted, the floating, cuboid buildings slowly drifted from one part of the dimension to the other and the gravitational pull from the portals swirling around the area caused the Astrals to change shape.

Uncomfortable, Bahamut growled, snapping jaws at the clouds swirling above his head, the dragon, healed by the goddess, reared on its hind legs and spat magic, agitated, the war godling flapped his silk, webbed wings and kicked up dirt. Titan wisely veered away from the thrashing Bahamut and engaged in conversation with the other Astrals, Cosmos failed to sense his predicament.

**"So what is this world?"** Shiva asked, her form morphing from a blue skinned woman with long, flowing hair to two individuals with bike wheels spinning around them. At this, the she frowned and waited for the next portal which depicted her as a single individual wearing a crown of ice atop a shock of short, spiky hair. The others changed similarly, Leviathan transforming from a silver blue serpent, to one with pink, iridescent scales. To Titan's astonishment, she changed completely, turning white, sprouting multicolored fins on her serpentine body and gaining a pair of talons. **"…So this world?"** Shiva prompted when Cosmos broke a crystal and absorbed its light, **"a back door to the Void?"**

The goddess shook her head, briefly starting at Ramuh whose magnificent beard reduced to a goatee and his long, flowing robes tinted black, settling on sculpted shoulders. "This is not a backdoor to the Void," she answered as Titan towered over Ramuh and poked the latter's leather habit, "it is where the Void is connected...like a hub," Cosmos remembered the definition of hub from Hope Esthiem, "an area where all the worlds and the Void are connected. As you see, the differing times and universes are affecting your appearances." The Astrals collectively turned to study the portals as they changed over and over again. "Be careful not to get close Leviathan," Cosmos warned, "their pull is strong, you do not accidentally want to be sucked in a time you do not belong."

A swirl of clouds parted above Bahamut, revealing a red moon, the dragon stamped impatiently and roared, firing a stream of light into the opening. The surface of the moon rippled and came together again. Snarling, the dragon clawed his way towards Cosmos, determined to lose the portal closing on him. The red moon grew larger, filling his vision and articulating one last enraged shriek, Bahamut disappeared.

The portal collapsed immediately and the cloud whisked away as Cosmos turned.

"Bahamut?" She queried, "Did he go back?" Ifrit and Titan struggled against another portal opening behind them; the fire demon kicked, screeching at the image shimmering in the portal. A dark space, machinery humming and magic runes. Similarly, Titan dove for the ground, the building spat him back out and the portal funneled him into the strange world. Reaching for Titan, Ifrit followed his fellow Astral into the foreboding space and the clouds collapsed.

**"What goes on?"** Leviathan hissed, terror in her voice, she huddled protectively around Cosmos as the other Astrals created a circle around the goddess and the sleeping human. Alarmed, Cosmos drew a shape on her palm and lit up an intricate magic circle in her hands, she pressed her palm against Leviathan's forehead and squeezed Shiva's upper arm, the ice goddess fluttered her eyelids and pouted when Cosmos next placed her hand on Ramuh's cheek. A brand spread across their bodies, golden sigils glimmering on their skin. **"Lady Cosmos,"** the serpent hissed, **"are we in danger?"**

Nodding, Cosmos searched for the portal showing the red moon; instead the clouds revealed a coastal town. "You need to leave, all of you," she addressed the remaining Astrals as the worlds attempted to pull them in. Crouching, she picked Bartz and his head lolled, resting against her shoulder. "Take him with you," the goddess commanded, "he jumped in the Interdimension, knowing well he would not stand a chance alone, I shall not let my Warrior perish in vain."

A sharp throb of pain spread from the center of her chest, burning like fire in her veins. A primordial evil stirred, her consciousness screamed and she masked the pain with a strained smile. **"My Lady, we cannot leave you alone!"** Ramuh protested and Cosmos clenched her fists.

"I must go after Ifrit and the others," she explained. "I cannot risk having you teleported in different dimensions. Go back to the Astral Plane," her bright blue eyes rested on Bartz, hanging like a rag doll in Shiva's icy grasp. He moaned slightly and opened his eyes. Brushing his eyelids shut with her thumbs, Cosmos glared at the stout Astrals. "Leave," she ordered, her voice carrying to the very edges of the Interdimension. "Now!"

The Astrals dissolved. Ramuh into a lightning bolt, Shiva a flurry of snowflakes and Leviathan into a puddle of water.

Slashing the fabric of the Interdimension with her godly scythe, Cosmos's lips formed a thin, hard line and she jumped through.

* * *

The world swirled around her, dissolving into a mess of colors and lines and the tunnel eventually threw her near the craggy edge of a continent. Barely a foot away from her, the land plunged to meet a churning ocean. Waves beat against rocks, white foam drifted far below and Cosmos raised her face to a mid-morning sky.

A moon, one white and a bare silhouette, cowered behind the other, a rusty red, unnaturally large sphere. The red moon caught the goddess' attention but she sensed no way of getting there. Unlike the two moons rising and falling across Baron's ebony skies, the red moon of this universe gave off an oppressive aura. Closing her eyes, Cosmos listened.

_Bahamut's enraged roars echoed in her head as he bashed against a prison. The great dragon foamed at the mouth and threw himself against walls and barriers of red sand._

Eyes snapping open, Cosmos wilted, the war god, now reduced to a mind scrambled, primeval monster, hissed words of vengeance. Was this the sensation she felt in the Interdimension? How many years passed since he was caged in the Red Moon?

An eon...

What of Ifrit and Titan? Inhaling sharply, Cosmos squared her shoulders and searched the universe. She failed to feel their energy signatures, were they also trapped? Waiting to be used for some sinister purpose? Did the years chip away their energy? Their presence?

Their power and soul?

The pain burning like fire in her veins persisted and she contemplatively watched the tide surge forth and recede. Summoning Cierr Harmonia and clasping her scythe securely in one hand, she set off, her feet gliding through patches of sparse grass. In the distance, the outline of a civilization took shape. A low lying town, emptied into the sea. Bridges, great expanses of grey basalt, connected several islands together and as she traveled, the sounds of heckling fishermen reached her ears.

Teleporting into the middle of a street, Cosmos shaded her face with her hood and a loud clanging assaulted her ears. Squeezed next to an item shop selling magical artifacts and a jewelry store, a blacksmith's furnace blasted heat and in the darkened interior, men with sweat pouring from their foreheads, hammered a sword into shape. Impressed by their devotion, she stepped through the door and the clanging stopped.

Outside a two story home rising out of the ground in a block of marble white, Y'shtola Rhul gripped her staff.

The aether around her flowed excitedly and converged in one of the bigger islands. She wondered what drew the energy like a magnet and searched for hostilities, a loose monster perhaps? However, the aether behaved in a strangely calm manner and not willing to have another disaster in her lifetime, she ease from a wooden bench and followed the currents. Her eyes glowed an off putting silver and the street's residents nodded at her respectfully. Y'shtola smiled at their general direction and continued to the edge of the little island, she paused at the pier and here darkness swamped her vision.

Using her staff, she crossed several bridges, guided by early morning gossip. Rumors of a golden haired goddess walking on the northern island of Limsa Lominsa ran rampant. The stench of gutted fish became powerful under Y'shtola's nostrils and wrinkling at the metallic whiff of blood and fish guts, she quickly strode past the harbor and looked again. The aether swirled, coming from all the islands and tinting into the barest hint of gold.

Eyes peeled, she turned to the stone paved shops and paused at the individual standing in the middle.

Limsa Lominsa, a town built on several islands sprawled across the ocean, bustled with life. Grey basalt and black veined marble was the favored building material and sunlight struck off the snow white guild, giving the town an ethereal quality. Standing in front of a large building capped in silver tiles, Cosmos admired the orange silk banners drifting in a salt tinged wind above the guild entrance. She could ask for her Warrior here, perhaps one of the humans will aid her to find the person she sought.

Ascending the smooth, glossy steps to the building, the goddess stopped and spun around. Before her stood a cat eared woman with facial markings and eyes sparking silver. The individual bowed respectfully and Cosmos took her hands. "Y'shtola Rhul," she greeted and her fingers grazed under the woman's eyes, "I have come to this world to meet you."

"Lady Cosmos," Y'shtola bowed reservedly once more. The aether flowing around Cosmos seared her eyes with their brightness. "It is an honor to meet you at last. The aether has been chaotic lately, I sense you are here for that purpose?"

Chaotic?

Chaos...

No...

_NO!_

He could not have!

Cosmos's chest collapsed and she could not breathe. Surely Shinryu would not summon Chaos as an opposition to her?

The fire in her veins roared and hissing in pain, she shook her hands free from Y'shtola's and clenched them into fists. Kill Chaos again? How many times must she vanquish a demon in order for him to stay down?

Her eyes glittered with steely resolve, this time she shall erase Chaos from reality. Cut him into bits so fine, Kefka will seem almost_ tangible_ in comparison!

Breathing heavily, Cosmos sat on the marble steps, her coat swamping her, the fiery ache in her body subsided and she laid her head gratefully on Y'shtola's shoulder.

"This is your hometown?" The goddess asked, tearing her thoughts away from Chaos. Of course she knew, she glimpsed the end of her journey in a vision. Therefore why did her body rebel at the thought of crossing swords with the entity of chaos? She was the goddess of harmony; the antithesis of disorder which Chaos represented. Why did memories tug her conscious, signaling something very wrong? "It is beautiful," the goddess sighed when her Warrior cast magic on her. The weariness melted away, leaving a painful confusion behind. Pointing to a tower tiled in a shimmery blue, Cosmos further inquired, "What is that domicile used for? Its beauty is breathtaking, it reminds me of the Sanctuary..." she trailed off and craned her neck to get a better view.

Blinking at the town, Y'shtola concentrated, aether swirled to and fro, not settling on any structure and certainly not giving her a clear view of whatever building Cosmos wanted to know about. "My Lady, I am blind," she stated blandly and the goddess sighed, mentally berating herself for her insensitive comment. Yshtola's blazing, silver eyes indicated her uniqueness. Although blind, she saw with the flow of aether.

"Yes," The lady muttered, "how unmindful of me." She got up, her jacket rustling and Y'shtola pulled to her feet. "Tell me about the red moon," the goddess prompted for a change of subjects.

Against her better judgment, the Warrior looked up, to a black hole expanding in the sky. Wisps of aether tried to escape the spherical prison, but fruitlessly drifted upwards. In the center of the black hole, a flurry of energy, deep purple darkening to ebony, boiled. The war God, Bahamut, laid fettered on Dalamud, slowly growing mad and ushering a new era of scarcity. "The red moon is known is Dalamud my Lady," Y'shtola pointed her staff at the moon, "it grows larger day by day thus signifying the Seventh Umbral Era." The Warrior waited for more questions however Cosmos stayed silent, the aether around her dimming in intensity. "Dalamud serves as a prison for the Elder Primal Bahamut; he shall stay there till he becomes completely insane and drained of power." At this, the goddess narrowed her eyes against the moon, what kind of ingratitude was this? "Though there is one thing I do not understand..." Y'shtola broke off and worried her staff. "I feel like...this has happened before, the Seventh Umbral Era I mean."

Her face, smooth and with red stripes painted over cocoa cheeks, scrunched in worry. Ears swiveling, she turned around, something did not feel right. Pieces of memory, trapped and buzzing in her head, showed her reading the prophecy of the Seventh Umbral Era along with the Warrior of Light.

"Explain the Seventh Umbral Era," Cosmos softly said, "and I believe time has reversed for this particular world," she whispered, more to herself. The reversed time flowed sluggishly, contributing to the destruction of the planet.

Holding her ivory staff securely, Y'shtola led Cosmos to one of the many bridges crisscrossing Limsa Lominsa. "We Eorzeans believe the land is always shifting from periods of abundance, known as the Astral Eras, to periods of scarcity, known as the Umbral Eras." The two women ascended the stone steps and Y'shtola noticed Cosmos' attention wander. The goddess stared at the churning sea below; white foam dotted the coast line and lunged as far as the bridge. "...The Astral Eras are times of peace, when the land gives plentiful and there are no disasters, following them are the Umbral Eras, marked by catastrophe that may destroy entire civilizations."

Regally dismounting the steps leading to a smaller island in the City, Cosmos looked at the moon again.

"My lady," Y'shtola gestured to the moon, "in the prophecy, it is written that the beginning of the Seventh Umbral era will be marked by changes in the monster's behavior as well as the swelling of the red moon."

* * *

**A/N:** I'm a sucker for handicapped or unconventional heroes. Y'shtola Rhul rules!

And for anyone who's having a bad day because they feel different, wear your weirdness like a shroud! Let it be your flag of pride!

Anyway, read and review people

At Nonny: I checked out the game, it looks beautiful and I'm sure it plays beautiful as well. Unfortunately…I'll go weep in my mushroom garden…Well, the only form of therapy Hwit has is Cosmos, although, he tends to shrug her off and fall deeper into whatever hell hole he's fallen. Exdeath getting creamed was my favorite part when I wrote this chapter, I don't know why I dislike him so much. Gilgamesh? I think I might've heard his name somewhere, I'll check the vids, thanks.

Free Hwit? Heh.


	27. The seventh Umbral Era

**The Seventh Umbral Era**

For a world hurtling towards destruction, Limsa Lominsa remained peaceful.

A fog horn blasted from the sea and deck hands ran to the pier, shouting instructions, swearing and hefting coils of weathered rope. A gangplank unfolded from a barnacle encrusted ship and the crew rushed, throwing lighter things overboard and using the cranes to unload heavier cargo. Large containers of steel whirred to the sky and the crane gently set them down on the creaking deck. A gash scoured the side of the boat, a scar on dark cedar. Whirling, Cosmos strode back to the city proper and the Red Moon above seemed to weigh down further on the planet of Hydaelyn.

"Earlier you mentioned the swelling of the red moon?" the goddess asked and turned to Y'shtola who courteously walked a few steps behind her.

The blind mage drew herself eye level with the goddess. "Swelling of the Red Moon is just a figurative way of saying Dalamud is growing bigger. It is..." again, her forehead became a mess of lines. "...growing bigger? No, Dalamud is coming closer!" Y'shtola helplessly looked around, as if waiting for guidance from another. "My lady, I do not think Dalamud is a true planet. I think," she looked up uncertainly, "it is a weapon created by the Garlean Empire to destroy this world. It seems..." she trailed off, uncertain, "that it is being used again for a similar purpose."

Staring at the unnatural sphere dominating the sky, the goddess wondered if there was a way to free Bahamut. His enraged screams tore through her mind, exhausting her reason. She worried greatly for Ifrit and Titan as well, chained somewhere in the vast planet. The bizarre flow of time interfered with her senses, she could not probe deeply enough to find the Astrals or the wayward Shinryu pawn pulling the strings. The stones making up the pavements and buildings sang of an era filled with strife and war.

Suddenly, the beautiful marble facades crumbled before her eyes. Monsters tore into the town, claws scratching stone and ploughing through turrets. Silver and blue tiles scattered everywhere, shattering on the streets. Steel columns poked through walls, the skeleton of a grand cathedral. When she blinked, the scenes dissolved but an ache persisted at the back of her head.

"Who is in charge of the Garlean Empire?" Cosmos questioned. She bore witness to the rise and fall of great nations, nothing be it good or evil, ever lasts.

"Zenos yae Galvus," Y'shtola answered within a heartbeat. "He is cruel and has little regard for his subjects. Under him, the Garlean Empire's conquests are stretching further still; it will be only be a matter of time before Limsa Lominsa falls." A hint of melancholy laced the Warrior's voice and Cosmos clasped her hands.

"Zenos yae Galvus..."

It seems that she had an emperor to slaughter.

* * *

The hum of machinery was loud in Ifrit's ears. Grunting animalistically, he strained against the chains of light keeping him flush against the wall and Titan glared at him. The earth Primal lay on his wide belly, tufts of dirty grey fur spouting from the top of his head which sat like a tiny rock on his boulder-esque body. Molten gold ran in the cracks visible in Titan's body and a loincloth of ivory, rubies and sapphires concealed his dignity. Ifrit strained valiantly against his bonds, head bowed low and demonic horns sparking against the tiles, eventually he tired and watched Titan wriggle in ice chains weaved with hawthorn.

**"Grr..."** Ifrit growled, hunched back pressing painfully against the enchanted wall, **"why am I in this ugly form?"** he rasped. **"Where is Cosmos? I want to go back to being a humanoid!"** Puffs of pale orange fire escaped his jaws and he stamped the ground, creating a web of cracks. Magically, the cracks smoothed over and a lightning bolt fried his brains as punishment.

Near the two, another Primal beat four wings against the wall and floor. **"Quiet Ifrit,"** Garuda hissed and blasts of wind cut into the fire demon. **"Shiva is not here to see how ugly you are, clamp your mouth and let me in peace,"** she grumbled, glaring balefully at the clay weights tied to her limbs.

Long before Ifrit and Titan joined her in the cell, she stayed alone; wrecking the rune covered room over and over again till Zenos saw it fit to tie her down with spheres of clay. Furious, she smashed the clay weights and he heaped more, finally sealing her flight with a coating of platinum dust.

The fire demon growled and tried to spear her with his horns. **"You were here millenniums before us,"** he jeered, **"why haven't you broken out of this place yet?!"**

**"Why haven't **_**you?!**_**"** Garuda snapped, her lame wings drooping. **"This chamber is specifically designed to hold us Primals...**_**Astrals.**_**"** The feathers on her head and neck quivered at the approaching darkness. **"It is impossible for us to break out from the inside; we need aid from the outside!"**

**"Cosmos will help us."** Agitated, Ifrit recoiled against the wall.

The others did the same. Garuda folded into a ball, her gossamer wings often glowed with pearly green light and now the limp, shining feathers collapsed on top of her. Titan grunted, chains biting into his arms, but he shuffled to the foot of the wall and enraged at the earth god's pitiful state, Ifrit slammed both of legs in front of Titan, shielding him from view.

Liquid gold spilled to the floor, pooling on the runes. **"How long?!"** Titan demanded, voice rumbling from his chest. **"We have been in here for a century, our power wanes,"** his voice shook the walls but the damage repaired instantaneously. **"And what of Bahamut?"** Titan asked. **"If the Red Moon is split, he will destroy everything!"**

The door to the room opened and the Primals shrank. Ultramarine light bled from outside. "Bahamut will destroy everything." A new, oily voice joined the conversation and Titan growled loudly, shaking the very foundations of the building. "However you will not live to see the end of the world."

Zenos stepped in front of the godly trio, bleached white skin and blonde hair glowing against the fire rolling off Ifrit's body. His third eye briefly cracked open and closed. "I have grander plans for the three of you." He smiled. "Lord Shinryu will be glad to know minor gods such as yourselves will be sacrificed for the greater cause of eliminating the planet." The Warrior solemnly pressed a fist against his heart. "This is all for Lord Shinryu, there is no one else fit to rule the world apart from him!"

A compressed blast of wind nearly knocked him over. Garuda unfolded, cutting wind exploding from her body and his grin inched wider. Sparkling platinum dust shed from her wings; she crushed a clay weight on the wall behind her, stamped her foot on the ground and claws outstretched, reached for the Emperor's throat. Standing calmly with the inane smile on his face, Zenos unsheathed one of the swords hung on his tri scabbard and sidestepped.

The blade flashed in the gloom, tearing through silken wings. Garuda fell, all four of her wings smoking against the etched ground. Smirking, Zenos grabbed her by her chest feathers and dragged her out of the room.

"I will return shortly for the two of you." His voice echoed like the final nail in a coffin.

Shackled, the Primals peered at the lift; a large slab of concrete elevated a meter off the ground. A bank of windows, glowing eerily with ultramarine light, ran around the circular chamber and the lift, intersected with pale yellow runes, housed two towers on opposite ends. Chains gathered in his hands, Zenos ascended the lift with a moving platform and the Astrals huddled together, refusing to budge. The humming of machinery and magic grew louder, filling the gods' ears and the emperor yanked the chains, smirking when Titan dug his heels into the floor. Letting go of the earth Astral, he dragged a snarling, cursing Ifrit between the two structures and with a swipe of his sword, cut the chains.

Free at last, the flaming Primal leapt, gurgling threats. White lightning forked from the towers and held him back. Clawing at the threads of energy, Ifrit struggled against the bonds, growing weaker with each passing second. His form flickered and he vanished all together.

**"What did you do to him?!"** Garuda hissed, glaring defiantly at Zenos from her position on the floor. **"What is that thing?!"** She pointed to the ominous towers and to the dome above. Seam lines converged to a point over their heads. The Emperor did not grace her with an answer and with the cruel up-tilt of his lips, dragged Titan to the weapon, repeating the process. Garuda inhaled when the liquid gold in Titan's veins evaporated first, filling the dim chamber with the smell of burning metal. He shrank, turned into a boulder and crumbled into sand. The net of white lightning, greedily sucked up the sand and she choked back an enraged gasp.

Grabbing her chains, Zenos studied her. "Your turn to be fed to the Ultima Weapon," he stated lowly, "be grateful, you are creating a world of nothingness, where only one dragon will rule."

**"And you,"** Garuda hissed in return, **"are making a colossal mistake."**

Wrenching the chains from Zenos' grasp, Garuda stalked between the structures. The lightning lunged for her, burning her feathers and pain spread to the tips of her toes. The Ultima Weapon fed off her energy, reducing her to a shimmering wind and the tower's lights pulsed, bathing the lift with a sickly, flavescent glow.

Tri scabbard bobbing with his movements, Zenos circled the Ultima Weapon; the Garlean Empire wasted their entire resources and legacy to build weapons of mass destruction, only to be stopped by a band of beast-people and the Warrior of Light. Hate simmered in the emperor's eyes as he recalled the silver haired, armored man with an incorruptible streak. Justice roiled off the Warrior's form and Zenos despised him.

Although, the man's bloodless lips curled into a satisfied smirk as he fiddled with dials, the Warrior of Light did make a laudable opponent, Zenos almost admired him. The way the Warrior's eyes narrowed when he fought, the hint of bloodlust barely perceptible on his blade of light. Power radiated from him and Zenos longed to find another person worthy of clashing blades against.

Cosmos? He shivered in excitement, the Goddess of Death?

Will she be able to make him feel alive?

He pressed a lever and the dome opened, revealing a charcoal sky studded with stars. Directly above him, Dalamud hung, red and bloated, the eye of a gigantic monster. The Ultima Weapon heated, light flashing in the scores spiraling across the stone structures. Zenos shielded his eyes when a lurid pillar of light rocketed across the sky and blasted into Dalamud.

* * *

_Boom!_

Cosmos halted, putting her hand out for Y'shtola. A blinding beam of light speared from the Praetorium and struck the moon, breaking a red chunk off. The chunk fell like a shooting star, burning before it harmlessly drowned in some ocean. "You must return, Y'shtola Rhul," the goddess intoned and turned to the Warrior, who scrutinized the sky and with eyes of blazing silver. "Given your condition, it is not safe for you."

The Warrior's ears lay flat on her shock of white hair. Her trench coat whipped around her legs and the staff, secured to her back with a silver clasp, glowed. "My lady, please do not deprive me of such a battle, this is my duty." Y'shtola dipped her head respectfully. "I know...my status; however I will not let it dictate how I live my life. Vanquishing evil is my call, allow me to assist you in any way I can." Cosmos regarded the brave woman, at the determination evidenced by clenched hands and proud stance. Pressing her hand against her heart, the goddess' shoulders drooped. "Do not be saddened," Y'shtola added, the flow of aether around the goddess alerted her to a disturbance. "I have prepared myself for the inevitable."

Another gigantic spear of light flashed from the open dome and struck the moon again. Dalamud crumbled, more pieces of the red moon fell to the earth like bright flares and Cosmos straightened. She grabbed Y'shtola's hand. "We shall teleport," she informed before the two disappeared in an unpleasant, gut wrenching sensation.

When they reappeared, Y'shtola bounced off an invisible shield protecting the Praetorium whilst Cosmos bashed Cierr Harmonia against the barrier.

The goddess sheared the tightly clustered ball of aether surrounding the building. Y'shtola, safely on the ground, disabled the protective runes chaining the doors and with an ominous groan of stone on stone, the doors swung open.

A crash echoed behind Y'shtola and she stood very still. Growls of barely suppressed rage escaped from the beast. Moonlight cast a silhouette of webbed wings, each ending in a wicked wing claw, and a long, scaly neck. Y'shtola swallowed nervously when the dragon's hot breath blasted her, her skin prickled under the form fitting jacket and aether swirled in alarm.

Primal Bahamut climbed out of the crater, eyes clouded by rage. When he fell to the earth, winking like an oversized shooting star, the planet's atmosphere burned his wings and steely scales. He crated near the Praetorium and regarded the building and the beastling cowering in his shadow. Swinging his massive snout, he fixed his attention at another being, much like him but humanoid in appearance, the woman stood with a scythe, its blade glinting like his jaws. Stomping away from the beastling, he lunged for the golden haired woman and she raised her hand, commanding him to stop.

Mad with wrath, he careered towards her and ploughed into a barrier. A shockwave traveled through his body, plummeting him backwards and Bahamut crashed back into the crater. He struggled to get up, disorientated and angry. Growling unceasingly, he righted to his feet and the woman disappeared.

"Come," Cosmos led Y'shtola into the Praetorium, "we shall use Bahamut's misplaced wrath to tear down this domicile."

Sure enough, the dragon tore through the doors and fist sized pieces of dark basalt cannoned inwards, striking against rune covered walls. A deep hum of machinery buzzed in the two woman's ears and holding tightly on Y'shtola's hand, the goddess led her through walls throbbing with spite. Stumbling along, the Warrior fumbled for her staff and lit the dim surroundings, Cosmos' warmth gave her a burst of courage and targeting the goddess, she placed a protective spell just as the war dragon demolished a corridor and its wings caught Cosmos by her side. The lady cannoned into the opposite wall and shook off the dust like it was nothing.

The dragon turned and its scaly tail bounced off a shield, the spiked appendage cut through walls, revealing the Praetorium Lift.

And atop the Lift, Zenos smiled with undisguised glee, his normally apathetic expression melting into mania.

Placing a restraining spell on Bahamut, Y'shtola targeted the Ultima Weapon, blocking its energy flow. The next flare powered up and stalled.

Unsheathing a katana from his tri-scabbard, Zenos lashed at the goddess and grinned when metal met metal.

Cierr Harmonia spun in the goddess hands; the butt end caught Zenos under his chin and flung him to the far end. He shrieked in delight as the Ultima Weapon ripped, blasting Cosmos with a fulgent beam of light. She staggered and the jacket melted on her body, smoking against her skin and leaving raw burns behind. Wasting no time, Y'shtola raised her staff, cast cure and buffered the goddess.

Like a comet, Cosmos streaked towards Zenos, her curved blade dancing with his katana, he sweated, his smile inching wider, his third eye opening. Pushed back at the edge of the Lift, he swayed to the side just as another beam of light smacked Cosmos against the windows. The glass cracked and sickly, ultramarine light bled into the room.

She rose again, brushed blue glass from her wild shock of hair and a barrier sparked around her. Zenos' hands trembled in excitement, this woman...

Yes! She made him feel ALIVE!

He frowned when Bahamut, roaring, torpedoed into her, sinking his jaws into her body. Chains of glowing light surrounded the dragon and Y'shtola pulled, the insane Astral growled and crashed into the Ultima Weapon, one of the towers toppled over him, trapping him for the time being.

Ichor ran rivulets down Cosmos' arms and the bite marks steamed, pumping poison in her body. Zenos flung his prized katanas and they honed on the goddess, stopping short and clanging off an invisible shield.

Redirecting his smoldering gaze at Y'shtola but unable to reach her, he quickly parried Cosmos' precise strikes, heart beating a staccato in his chest as one sword and another were flung out of his grasp. Jumping away from the goddess and her whirling, deadly scythe, he drew his last sword, breath coming in ragged gasps.

"All hail Lord Shinryu!" Zenos announced before drawing the steel blade across his throat.

* * *

Outside the ruined Praetorium, Cosmos cleared a circle of grass and looked at the sky, her scythe glowing. Standing behind her, Y'shtola focused all her power and cast magic, supplementing the goddess. Cosmos' hair crackled with static and lifted, moving with a life of its own, she brushed several wayward bangs away from her forehead, twirled Cierr Harmonia in front of her, and slashed the blade in a vertical arc.

A crescent blade of pure white energy, humming and edged in gold, rocketed away from her scythe and sped towards the dark sky. The crescent grew bigger and sweat bloomed on Y'shtola's face. It swelled into a colossal scythe of golden light and cleaved Dalamud in half.

The Praetorium rumbled, the last of the stone bricks crumbled, revealing four furious Astrals trashing the Ultima Weapon.

Bahamut, still wrapped in Y'shtola's chains, broke free and whilst the two chunks of the Red Moon sped towards the planet like twin, fiery comets, Cosmos placed her hand on the enraged dragon and he immediately calmed, spreading bruised wings on the floor and wrapping his scaly neck around her legs. Ifrit and Titan, disorientated from staying inside the prison, wreaked havoc, bashing against the basalt surfaces. Garuda cut the Ultima Weapon and the dome to pieces, the wind slash residue stung the goddess' face.

Leaning against her staff, Y'shtola regally hobbled back inside the remains of the Praetorium and sunk to her knees, spent. Bahamut opened one reptilian eye to study her, snorted a spark of friendly fire and resumed resting. "I still find it difficult to believe he killed himself," the Warrior's milky eyes slid towards the last place aether swirled frantically, "he committed suicide."

"A coward afraid of the consequences, yes," Cosmos' lips twisted into a displeased frown and the room spun in circles. She closed her eyes and stroked Bahamut fondly as the other Astrals returned to the Astral Realm. Garuda grabbed the war god's leathery tail and whisked him away. "He killed himself when he was no match for me, I suppose." Hydaelyn trembled in a mini-quake when the comets streaking downwards finally landed on the continent, sending shockwaves rippling across the earth. "The thought of disappointing Shinryu and himself was one too much to bear." The goddess frowned thoughtfully and pulled her hood over her head, she slashed space and pearly light diffused from the Void. "This is where we part ways Y'shtola," she said as the blind Warrior recoiled from whatever she saw in the Void. "You should...rest. You have lived a noble life."

Ears flicking, Y'shtola grabbed Cosmos' hand just as she stepped into the Void. "My lady, please allow me to come with you!" the Warrior pleaded, clutching the goddess's hand tightly. "I want to see the other worlds and fight by your side." Cosmos opened her mouth to protest. "Please," Y'shtola interjected calmly, "I want to be of use to you."

The goddess shook her head, "I cannot stand by while you...life is precious Y'shtola, you should treasure it," she responded somberly.

Y'shtola's eyes glimmered. "I will treasure it by being of service to you and others."

"_No._"

Cosmos firmly stated, as cold a stray gust of wind that whipped her hood backwards and Y'shtola could do nothing but falter at this resolute command.

"You shall stay here, to live the remainder of your life in peace."

The goddess stepped forward; long fingers splayed and rested them under the Warrior's eyes. "Look at what life has to offer you," the Lady whispered and Y'shtola closed her burning eyes. "Look, you have a new purpose in life."

The Warrior closed her eyes, pain seared her retinas and she dropped to the floor, unconscious. Cosmos regarded the fallen Warrior, bent to brush hair away from Y'shtola's forehead and disappeared into the Void.

Dawn bled over the horizon, scarlet and white. Y'shtola saw this for the first time in so long with teardrops trailing down her cheek.

* * *

**A/N:** And Y'shtola can see again. Anyone sad to see Zenos go? No? Excellent! He was a creepy guy with his third eye and all. Read and review people, constructive criticism is always appreciated.

At Nonny: I wish I had a mushroom garden, I love mushrooms too, unfortunately, where I live, I only get canned mushrooms. I'm not a fan of Let's plays, I used to watch my brother play Halo and such and now I hate FPS'. I actually wrote Shiva like that precisely because they were together, makes it funnier. I think, even if Cosmos does know about Chaos...well, more on that later. Hwit imposed those duties on himself. Good ol' Hwit.


	28. Power

**Power**

Airships floated around the Royal Castle of Rabanastre, the palace's granite towers and air bridges sprawled to the sky, shining a uniform greyish brown under sunlight. Wisps of rice white clouds floated next to the airship's smoky trails and the gigantic sun disks framing the castle towers displayed the royal family's crest proudly in stone. Skirting around the left air tower perched on the top of the grand building, the Galbana circled, mechanical wings and sun sail lifting as it rose into the sky. The state of the art airship whirred and whisked away from the Castle's air space.

Reinforced crystal, transparent like glass, made up the main body of the Galbana. Inside the glass cocoon, new trainees gulped nervously as the City of Rabanastre disappeared beneath their spit shined combat boots. Many of them tinted green, swallowed nervously and kept their faces trained on their young, higher ranking officer. Cream leather couches ran the side of the training room and when he moved, the neophytes all saluted in attention.

Sighing at them, Vaan draped an arm over the sofa's backrest and stared at the stone buildings and streets below. Passenger air ships traveled lazily through the sky and the occupants ogled the Galbana. Military dirigibles zipped across, acknowledging each other with a series of coded lights. The Galbana picked up speed and the surroundings whirled, one of the trainees moaned and complained that he would be sick.

Getting up from the comfortable couch, Vaan's steel greaves clunked on the floor. The Order of the Knights of Dalmasca...he regarded the timid initiates in front of him and bemoaned his fate.

As a child, he longed for the carefree life of a sky pirate, but after getting tangled in a war, helping the princess regain her throne and discovering the land of Lemures beyond the clouds, the now Queen Ashe saw fit to decorate him as a _knight_. Vaan marched, correcting the trainees' stances and teaching them how to hold a sword properly.

A knight! He internally ranted, hating his life.

Cooped up in the Galbana, going nowhere but circling Rabanastre on a daily basis and reforming the Order of the Knights of Dalmasca. A starched white shirt hugged his body, complete with a waist coat decorated with silver medals. The Queen gifted him a pair of metal lined gloves studded with an oval of cyan gemstone, these he wore to keep up appearances, but it made handling his favorite sword a pain.

_His_ favorite sword...Rek's blade.

It hung at his waist, in a slightly beaten up scabbard which clashed with his uniform and pristine appearance. Slinking back to the couch and casting longing glances at the small houses and all the people free to do whatever they wanted, Vaan blew on an irritating bang of hair and sat up straight when Basch entered the room. The trainees immediately put more vigor in their training, swinging their swords enthusiastically despite the slight turbulence. Scar wrinkling across the top of his left eye, Basch's cape flared as he passed Vaan and the latter's quick fingers slipped into the commanding officer's armor cracks. Unaware, the Captain whirled away to the back of the Galbana whilst sapphire eyes twinkling, Vaan opened his hand.

At least he could pickpocket Basch, the stuff the commander stored in his pockets were no treasure, but the fancy pocket watch could be a keeper, Vaan mused and opened the watch. Inside, ancient numerals decorated the face and a golden needle merrily ticked away. Mood lifted, he sprang to his feet, greaves thumping on the laminated floor and resumed training the trainers with renewed spirit.

"What you got there commander?" one initiate asked, dropping his blade and sidling to Vaan who shut the pocket watch and dangled it teasingly. "That's Captain Basch's isn't it? I didn't see you taking it."

Vaan smiled. "Of course you couldn't, I'm a professional pirate."

"There you go again, saying all of that pirate stuff." The neophyte pouted and stared at the swinging watch with rapt curiosity. "And doesn't the Captain ever notice you taking his stuff?"

Basch reappeared in the training room, holding a box of potions. His irises narrowed on the swinging pocket watch dangling from Vaan's fingertips and the blonde adolescent smiled sheepishly. "I humor him; he spends so much time grumbling about how he is a sky pirate and not a...knight," the captain dumped the box rather forcefully on the couches and the potion bottles rattled, "that I keep valuable things in my pocket to entertain him." Turning to Vaan, he said, "I see you are as quick fingered as ever."

Tossing the pocket watch back, Vaan shrugged his shoulders modestly. "It's important to keep one's talents sharp."

The Captain snorted and crossed his arms. "We have orders to patrol the boarders of the city," he stated whilst Vaan's eyebrows rose in surprise. Basch dismissed the trainees with an impatient wave of his hand. "The orders are from Ashe, it seems Archadia is becoming opportunistic again."

Sweeping his hair backwards as the Galbana tilted and sped for the city outskirts, Vaan sighed. A sky pirate definitely did not have to deal with death threats on a daily basis.

The concept of Moogling fascinated Cosmos.

Flitting from one part of Rabanastre to the other, she came across a moogle near an intricate, wrought iron lamppost. Missing her moogle companion, she strode to the moogle and began polite conversation with it.

One thing led to another and Sorbet, the name of this kind moogle, offered her to teleport her to an Aerodrome for free. An enthusiastic smile unfolded across Cosmos' lips and she clapped her hands delightedly. The moogle whipped out a frayed map and pointed to all the moogling spots around the capital city.

"Well then," Sorbet squeaked, "get ready for teleportation kupo!" The goddess stepped into a glowing portal of light and beamed. In an instant, her form flickered and she materialized to another part of the city. Stowing the map away, the moogle bowed to the vacant space and muttered a prayer of gratitude.

Inhaling sharply, Cosmos craned her neck upwards, hood sliding off her golden hair; she slowly stepped back, fully taking in the magnificent building rising out of the streets. The double doors stood wide open, letting a stream of people enter and exit at will. Clambering the marble steps, the goddess swept into the interior and paused.

Inside, her eyes gleamed in mirth as she stared through floor to ceiling length windows and at the air field beyond. Large air ships, guided by controllers waving luminous crystal tipped batons, touched the ground or took off. Patterned marble swirled underfoot and as Cosmos strode forward, a hairline crack trailed her and plants struggled to push through the dense rock.

An official, mouth hanging open at the bizarre vegetation following the tall figure robed in a godly white and gold, quickly spun around and fumbled for his medications, he swallowed a dozen pills, screwed his eyes shut and opened them again, groaning when a small line of plants invaded the pristine foyer. Fixing his hat over unruly locks, he beelined for the beautiful woman.

"I want to fly on an airship!" the goddess declared, blue irises shining defiantly. Stopping a meter away from her, the official licked his lips nervously. His boss will _gut_ him if he let the wayward commuter do as she pleased. The woman, jacket whirling around her ankles, blithely cut through the lines and marched to the departure area and shaking off his creeping attraction, he followed her hastily. "Flying in an air ship shall be a novel experience!" the lady exclaimed and turned, her soulful eyes resting on the porter.

"Uh…" His throat became dry and flush bloomed on his cheeks. The surly image of his boss surfaced in his mind and the official touched his cap. "Madam," he began somberly, "you may not cut into the line," he raised a gloved hand to indicate the people staring wondrously at Cosmos. "And you do not have tickets," the woman blinked in confusion. "The ticket counter is over there," the man pointed to an illuminated booth, his gaze faltering at the plants carving the foyer in lazy arcs. "And please refrain from doing...THAT," he pointed to the fracturing marble.

Tiny plants bloomed in her wake and Cosmos lifted her barefoot to see a daisy struggle to surface. "Tickets?" She echoed. "I need a ticket to fly?"

Taking a deep breath and wiping his gloved palms on his jacket, the official spun on his heels. "Please follow me," he gestured to the ticket booth, "you are not from here are you?" He glanced back to the goddess and she followed him regally. To his relief, the tiles stopping cracking and spewing saplings.

Whilst the man purchased tickets, Cosmos' stared at the line of people inching outside, up movable staircases and into the bellies of luxurious airships. The official shuffled back, handed her a small slip of paper stamped in purple ink and explained boarding procedures.

"That's the boarding area." He pointed to the lines and lines of people and the goddess frowned, must she wait?

"You will board the passenger skyferry," the official drew her attention to a large, gleaming airship of chrome and glass. "Please remember to show your ticket at the gate and to the boarding executives, or else they won't let you in." Cosmos smiled benevolently and the man weakened at the knees. "Well then," he touched his cap respectfully, "have a happy journey."

* * *

The massive skyferry lifted off the tarmac with the low drone of engines and whirring propellers. The air strip shrunk, the people wearing garish, reflective clothing reduced into colorful ants and the airship rotated, facing the city's stone skyline. In the cabin lined with fluffy carpeting and oak paneled walls, government officials seated on the faux leather couches bolted against the panels and opted for reading or staring out of the windows. Rabanastre folded into a rectangle beneath Cosmos' feet and when a small, excited child joined her at the windows, the goddess gently touched her curls and turned back to appreciate the scenery.

A sea of dark stone spread underneath the airship; the palace, shrouded in a mysterious power, dominated the horizon and the goddess briefly studied the sun-disks and the imperial banner fluttering in a blustery wind. A military airship, different in design, zipped past the skyferry on movable wings and Cosmos stared at it, her irises zeroing on a blonde individual forlornly plastered at the windows.

_Her_ _Warrior_, she realized and tried to catch a better view of the bronze individual. Another ferry zipped by, drowning the small military airship in a roar and the pulse of a crystal throbbed in the goddess' veins. More people stood up and gravitated to the windows and muttering broke out in the cabin. Cosmos ignored the occupants and focused on the gates of Rabanastre. Beyond the city boundary, the desert stretched far and wide, an inhospitable plain of sand and monsters.

The skyferry changed direction, allowing the passage of another airship loaded with people. Waves and smiles were exchanged and the goddess smiled indulgently at the opposite ferry. People milled on deck, a shopkeeper heckled prices as a group of teenagers stopped to bargain. Below, the city spread like a living map, buzzing with importance and activity. The market district crept into view, gaudy stalls and brick buildings offering everything from food to ammunition and lodgings. Completing its slow turn, the ferry faced the gigantic, iron gates of Rabanastre and a myriad of protective sigils flashed momentarily before melting from view. Cosmos squeezed through a crowd and stopped at the front most window; the person next to her squinted through a pair of gold rimmed eyeglasses and one by one, the passengers fell silent.

"What is that?" someone whispered, breath rattling in their chest.

"An army from a neighboring state," Cosmos answered. "The airship provides a perfect view of them; they march tirelessly, beasts and men and are nearly upon the city gates." She put up her hood. "I shall eliminate them."

Shouting broke out in the cabin as government officers demanded for calm. The passengers rushed to the exit and in the midst of chaos, Cosmos teleported from the pleasantly warm cabin to above the skyferry bombarded by howling winds. Her feet nearly slipped from the hot, metal surfaces and gaining purchase, Cosmos straightened, her hair and jacket-tails whipping backwards dramatically. Surveying the marching army, the lady clapped her hands and slowly parted her palms.

Cierr Harmonia spun into existence, glowing like a falling star.

A magical missile smashed into the wrought iron gates separating Rabanastre from the other cities of Dalmasca. A siren wailed. The missile shot through the gate, leaving a steaming hole and ploughed into a public fountain, raining water and chunks of rock everywhere. A second hissing projectile targeted the magical barrier and the invisible shield sparked in rainbow colors before tearing and letting the acid green torpedo through. The missile zigzagged wildly before a curved scythe cleaved it in half. The two halves dissipated against a house and church.

Children's screams tore through the air.

Bullets ripped, curving harmlessly around the goddess. The first line of infantry marched through, black books thundering on the stone in unison. Cutting a line on the stone pavement, Cosmos thwacked her staff on the ground and they ignited in flames. Behind the contingent of burning men and their dying shrieks, a tank wove inside and momentarily astounded by the cannon on wheels, the goddess stared at it, blinking when the tank trained its turret on her. She deflected a blast with her palms and shook her steaming fingers. Sinking Cierr Harmonia into the front of the tank, Cosmos scythed upwards, cutting the turret. She picked up the gigantic gun with one hand and bashed it against the small windows.

Glass cracked and a stone tower crumbled to the ground.

Casting death on a group of stampeding soldiers, Cosmos narrowed her eyes to the delegation pouring through the gates. Calmly wiping the sheen of sweat collecting on her forehead, she searched the smoke choked sky for signs of military assistance.

A civilian careering to safety, crashed into her and continued after picking himself up and leaving bloody splotches behind. Smudging his blood on her cheek, the goddess waved her weapon and a multilayered barrier slammed across the city gates, cutting through unsuspecting soldiers like a guillotine. Heads rolled inside and limbs jerked on the dusty fringes of the desert. Maintaining the barrier required utmost concentration and behind her, the screams of the fallen mingled with loud bursts of gunfire. Tanks pressed against the barrier on one side and Cosmos breathed heavily. On the other, soldiers and monsters pounded against the sheets of magic, snarling. Taking a deep breath, she stepped backwards and raised Cierr Harmonia. In the desert, a storm took shape and the invading army's ranks broke into disorganized clusters.

Thunder flashed across the dirty grey sky. A stray fork ignited the dry bushes in the desert and wind teased the small flames into a raging inferno.

_Crack!_

The first layers of the barrier gave way as Death sunk back to the ground, his deed done. Blood pooled into stone crevices, attracting swarms of black flies. Motivated by their success and by the hellfire raging in the desert, the army pushed against the barrier and let out an unearthly roar of triumph as the layers gave way. A tank spun out of control, its tracks flatting bones and armor. The monstrous machine sped for Cosmos and she raised her hand and brought it down.

A blast of pure light incinerated the tank into atomic particles.

Spinning Cierr Harmonia and daring the brainless soldiers to come closer, the goddess gazed upwards and smiled when the armored men readied their guns.

The Galbana circled overhead, its crystalline power throbbing in her veins.

* * *

**A/N:** I like writing characters who are weak at the knees for Cosmos. Please read and review, virtual cookies for everyone who is having a bad day (and for those who aren't)

At Nonny: I don't know any of them as characters. The only ones I'm familiar with are Zack, Cecil, Vaan and from the movies, Cloud and Noctis. The rest I had to make do from Dissidia and TV-tropes. I didn't actually play FF12, only the spin-offs, I kinda liked it though. Hmm, Vayne, it did say he was an honorable villain, I hope that reflected in my writing, he's going to debut in the next chapter.

As for Hwit, he is not pleased at your suggestion of making friends. But he will consider it. Mortals are fascinating to him after all.

Also some shameless advertising for everyone: I wrote a another fanfiction titled Ship of Thesus, its a Legend of Zelda one and I would appreciate it if anyone would be interested to have a look. Thank you and that is all.


	29. Gatekeeper of endless war

**Gate keeper of endless war**

Up above, the Galbana braked in midair as Vaan and Captain Basch stared disbelievingly at the carnage below. The trainees, dismissed to their cabins, rushed back into the training room and pressed their faces against the reinforced glass. Under orders from Queen Ashe, the military airship zipped to the edge of the city and here, under the cover of magic, an army marched across the desert from the neighboring Archadia. When the first missile hit the gates of Rabanastre, Vaan froze and shouted at the pilots to get closer, however the Captain forbade him. The tall, wrought iron gates crumbled under the forces and they observed a blur of white singlehandedly beating the invading army back. For a while the army rammed against the invisible barrier across the mangled city gates, but eventually the shield did not hold and they swarmed in like a flood.

Killing.

Pillaging.

Laying waste to the land.

"We have to get down there!" Vaan shrieked as a cascade of bullets honed on the golden haired individual. The person's familiar clothes induced a sense of urgency and he paced, fingers gripping his sword slightly. As the Galbana lowered, his chest seized when he realized he recognized the woman. Cosmos. The goddess threw her scythe and the whirling blade shredded everything in its path like an out of control propeller. Without waiting for the airship to dock properly, Vaan raced to the dispatch area, yanked the bridge down amongst Basch's protests and held on the steel supports as the wind threatened to whip him away. Tentatively sliding down the metallic and still descending ramp, he jumped, much to the trainees' horror and landed painfully on the ground far below.

Straightening, he limped; fighting against a tide of bodies headed his way. Reks' blade, edges heating, severed limbs and cauterized wounds, soldiers hissed and dropped their weapons as a superheated sword sliced through their bone and flesh with little resistance and left a steaming stump behind. When they collectively turned to face the nuisance, the ground beneath them erupted.

Blades of stone and rock scythed from underground and impaled many. Blood flecked on building walls and in the distance, an emergency bell tolled.

Ring...

The anxiety in Vaan's stomach congealed into despair.

Ring...

What was going on? Vaan wondered as he stabbed a soldier. The face behind the semi-transparent visor contorted into pain and disbelief and Vaan recoiled, so young and yet fighting. Dried blood caked his sword as another roaring teenager fell on his blade and gurgled to death.

Ring...

He neared Cosmos, the goddess did not put any effort into fighting, she stood aside and directed her weapon with one hand. A bunch of poisonous flowers sprang from the cracks bathed in blood and the petals curled at the edges. Vaan stopped near a pile of crumbled stone as military airships breached the airspace and whipped the dust away.

Turning around, he shielded the goddess' back.

Ring...

The bell tolled a final time, its last peals dissipating in the tidal wave of a massacre.

"Cosmos, what are you doing here? Did you know about this?" Vaan asked and stone blades kept the enemy a good distance from him. "I know the current Emperor of Archadia...Larsa...Emperor Larsa fought for peace, he wouldn't do this!" he insisted and waited for an explanation. The Galbana reached the gates, trained its laser guns to the masses pouring through and twin pillars of intense blue light melted stone and charred bodies along the way. A tank caught the edge of the beam and half of it melted, the unharmed controller inside fainted into a dead slump. "What's going on?" Ash settled on his greaves. "Are we in the middle of a war?"

Cierr Harmonia buzzed and returned to its owner. "Yes," she softly replied, "The process of war started a long time ago; there is nothing we may do." Eyes downcast, she hefted the scythe horizontally and let it hover in the air. Pressing her palms together, she prayed, "I implore you death, to reap once again." Lilac magic circles bloomed across the stone streets of Rabanastre and most of the soldiers stopped marching, terrified of the light bleeding under their boots. Cierr Harmonia shot out and a being, cloaked in dull robes of grey and black, emerged in the middle of the army frozen on the purple circles. Death grabbed the scythe and reaped.

Soldiers screamed, some, rooted to the spot, others fell on their knees begging for mercy as the entity swiped. Heads bounced to the ground, leaking and Vaan wrinkled his nose at the metallic stench of death.

A field of decapitated heads and dismembered limbs littered the public square, the streets and piled up in front of houses. And the army still marched through the gates, trampling over the dead. Elite soldiers streaked across the sky, carried in armored airships and Vaan waved to the Galbana as it drew closer towards them.

The airship lowered its maneuverable wings and the wind from the propellers blasted severed limbs across, they smacked against rubble and the stony remains of the fountain. Water spewed in the streets and the metal platform landed on the ruined pavement with a high pitched clang. Stamping his boots free from ash, Vaan gestured for Cosmos to enter and she collapsed her scythe before stately striding through.

In the training room, Basch waited for an update. "The gates were blown apart by missiles," Vaan, face pressed against the glass, confirmed, "and the Archadian army are still coming through the desert, they planned this in advance." He craned his neck to catch a glimpse beyond the mangled gates and the fringes of desert sand. "I don't understand why Larsa would do this." Vaan dropped on the cream lounge and adjusted his gloves. "He isn't the type to take over, we had a truce." Lapsing into a brooding silence, he waited for the Captain to issue orders, however, Basch stared at Cosmos who knelt on the sofas with her blood spattered jacket and peered outside, face scrunched in deadly concentration.

"And this is?" he asked, hand going automatically for his sword. The woman radiated power far beyond his comprehension, similar to the Judge of Wings. Unlike the corrupt power, he sensed a godly undertone and it put him ill at ease.

"Lady Cosmos, goddess of the other world and she probably still counts as a goddess in our one," Vaan replied and Basch relaxed, his cape fluttering slightly. "Are you here because you knew the Archadian army would invade?" Vaan asked, smoothing his shirt from where it crumpled. The captain always stressed the importance of looking proper in front of the trainees and it became a habit. "Did anything happen in the other universe?" he continued, "why are you here?"

Straightening from her kneeling position and leaving bloody blotches on the couches, Cosmos surveyed the room, her blue eyes coming to rest on Basch and the crowd of trainees cowering near the door, partially out of sight. "Shinryu has risen," she said and Vaan's fingers clenched into a fist, "he seeks to destroy the world and harvest the energy to do so by resurrecting and enticing the Chaos Warriors to destroy their home planets." Vaan looked thoroughly confused. "As for those dead, he revived them...I travelled to the different worlds to lay the dead to rest and to curb any rebellion."

"Shinryu...I don't think I know anyone by that name," Basch furrowed his eyebrows, scar wrinkling. "But he sounds like a dangerous enemy and you say he's...resurrecting dead...Warriors?" It was a bit too much for the blonde captain to take in and he crashed on the sofa, trying to make sense. He knew of evil who manipulated both the dead and living, but the resurrected were merely puppets. The Warriors Cosmos talked about sounded extremely capable of free thinking.

Vaan cursed under his breath, "Let me guess? Vayne came back to life?" Cosmos nodded and Basch stared at the two incredulously. The Galbana whirred slowly over expanses of destroyed town. Church spires toppled to the ground, people squirmed desperately under cracked stone pillars. Wrought iron lamps were uprooted; glass smashed and oil spilling in dark, sticky patches across the streets. Somewhere, a fire spewed smoke in the sky and the airship slowed further, surveying the extensive damage. "If Vayne is alive, then I understand why Archadia launched the war, he always wanted Dalmasca...now I'm worried about Larsa."

Stomach weighing like lead, Basch took to the floor, pacing nervously. His brother, the late Judge Galbranth entrusted him to look after the new Emperor and thinking all went well in Archadia, Basch returned to render his services to Dalmasca and revive the Order of the Knights. Head reeling, he stopped at the windows, glanced out of it and frowned at the eavesdropping trainees.

"So let me clear some things...this Shinryu has the ability to resurrect the dead..." his mind pulled to his deceased brother, "and he is using the dead villains to take over their respective planets so he can rule the world?"

"Destroy, not rule," Cosmos corrected and steadied herself as the Galbana swerved hard to avoid a projectile. "He is a planesgorger, he shall devour the planets, the different universes and rule over the Void as the sole protector."

"A planesgorger..." Basch muttered, "What is that exactly?" The normal morning shattered into a war and as he waded deeper and deeper, the Captain became visibly distressed.

Watching him pace agitatedly again, Vaan offered an explanation. "Captain, do you remember when I disappeared from Rabanastre without prior notice?" Basch paused and nodded, "you thought I ran away but when Penelo and the kids asked for help, you knew something else happened." The goddess retreated into a corner of the cabin and pressed her palms together. "Lady Cosmos summoned me," he nodded at the blonde woman as several trainees spilled into the room to take a good, long look at her. "I was a representative Warrior for Cosmos and I had to fight against Vayne who was a Warrior of Chaos." Basch listened attentively. "The mediator between the war is a bronze dragon named Shinryu."

"Shinryu is a dragon," the Captain echoed numbly.

"Yes and he is a planesgorger, which means he eats reality..." Vaan clarified. "He devours things into non-existence. Normally he did this to the fallen Warriors?" Vaan tilted his head, confirming his information with Cosmos and the goddess smiled sadly, "and we were purged of the effects of the war and sent back to our home planets, but now he's gone crazy."

"Crazy..." Basch muttered and rubbed his aching scar. A moment of silence claimed the Galbana and the hum of engines permeated through the room. The trainees, sensing a predicament far beyond their control, peeled out of the training room with drooping shoulders. "We must head for the Palace," the Captain boomed, eyes and purpose clear. "Vayne will be targeting Queen Ashe, on landing; I will deploy all of the soldiers to lock-down the castle." He gripped his sword determinedly, "I will personally greet Vayne Carudas Solidor with my blade." Cape whirling, Basch stalked off to issue orders to the pilot and the door whirred shut behind him.

The goddess watched him go, piercing blue eyes following his movements inside the corridors as he weaved through excited guards, terrified neophytes and worked his way to the pilot's cabin.

"This airship," Cosmos brushed her fingers against the wood and chrome plating, "it is different than the others," she said. "It is powered by crystals." Vaan looked up, surprised. "I can feel the energy running within it." The Galbana put on a burst of speed, cutting through a fleet of airships. The enemy opened fire and several bullets clanged off the magical shield protecting the Galbana, one stray bullet weaved through the barriers and struck the glass, creating a spider-web crack. Distorted reflection staring back, Cosmos summoned her scythe and Vaan shook his head.

The Galbana rolled and bursts of neon blue light streaked through the sky. Lasers. The beams sliced a military airship in half and the metal chassis burst into flames. The flaming remains dropped away, one crashing into a cathedral whilst the other plummeted against a public park. The grass caught fire, the cathedral's stone dome crumpled inside, revealing tiny, gleaming pews of wood.

Braking, the ship dropped vertically and Vaan sprinted to the dispatch area with Cosmos whilst the trainees trailed after them, some clutching their stomach from the jarring descent. They lined up, the metal ramp unfolded and bashed against a slab of stone, sending up dust. Enemy troops swarmed the Castle of Rabanastre, special troops held the air bridges hostage. More and more Archadian airships docked at the towers and infantry stormed through, besieging the castle. At the front gates, stone pillars lay on the floor, cleaved in half and Vaan ran, drawing his sword in the process. Teleporting to the barricaded doors, the goddess sliced the gates apart and half retracting its ramp, the Galbana smashed through, Basch in the pilot's cockpit.

Wings whirring, the air ship trashed the foyer. Large gashes tore into the marble tiles and the alabaster bust of the first king of Dalmasca missed its head. A pile of dead bodies heaped on the Galbana's front, obscuring the windows and a side door hissed open. Basch, hefting a broadsword, marched out and rallied by his appearance, the merge royal soldiers fought with renewed intensity. Scythe whirling, Cosmos cut a line to the throne room, where Vayne already waited, with Vaan watching her back.

"The throne room?" Vaan asked, kicking a soldier out the gate. "Basch will take care of Queen Ashe," he said. "We need to be here, where the troops are-"

"Vayne is already there," the goddess interjected evenly.

Earth blades erupted from the deep, punching through breastplates and sinking in flesh. Swiping his sword, Vaan recalled the blades and struck his weapon on the marble tiles. A plume of fire raced across the ground and soldiers scurried away from it. "Basch will take care of Vayne, he can do it," Vaan stressed, "there are few soldiers here," he looked around, perplexed by the dwindling guards. "Can you heal?" he did not wait for an answer, "we need to get the injured to safety."

"I must defeat Vayne." Cosmos' voice took a biting edge and Vaan cautiously stepped away from her. "It is important...this battle is simply a diversion, he waits for me."

Blade lowered, Vaan shrugged. "Fine, let's go."

* * *

Archadian guards flanked the throne room's doors on either side. On approach of the goddess, they lowered their spears and pushed the ornate, marble doors apart. Groaning open to reveal an intact chamber, Cosmos kept Cierr Harmonia spinning threateningly around her. Silk banners of silver and cyan rippled above the throne and a slim carpet of black velvet stretched from the doorway right to the slate steps leading to the podium. Standing in front of a gold chair encrusted with polished sapphires, Vayne Solidor kept the Queen hostage. She sat in her throne, eyes simmering. A blade winked at her neck and hands wrapped around a set of gold chains, Vayne raised both his arms for emphasis.

"I have been waiting for you." He gestured to the guards to close the throne room and doors ground shut with an ominous scrape. "Lady Cosmos," he bowed courteously and Vaan struck the floor, the resulting fire nearly burning Vayne's fringe, "I would like an audience with you."

On the other end of the chains, Larsa shifted uncomfortably, his wrists raw from the metal circlets clamping his hands.

"I seek no audience with a mass murder," Cosmos slowly articulated and held her head high; her weapon stopped beside her, humming angrily.

Vayne dropped his sword and it clanged loudly on the marble ground. "True, I am not worthy to be standing here in front of you like this." The Queen hissed. "However I want to entrust you with something." Next to Cosmos, Vaan shouted, stating they did not want anything from a dishonorable conqueror. "Please," Vayne held the chains tighter and clasped Larsa on his shoulder, "I want you to protect Larsa from Shinryu."

Silence.

Ashe stopped hissing, Vaan lowered his sword in confusion and Larsa yanked the chains, turning on his brother and eyes red from rage and tears. "You invaded our neighbor just so you could get this woman to shield me?" he shouted, shaking his restrains. "Everything I've build up, the peace I've tried to maintain, YOU brought it all down! And how dare you waltz back into the Archadian Court after what you have done!" Larsa shook angrily, jerking away when Vayne tried to console him.

"You don't understand," Vayne placated softly, "this was the only way I could buy enough time. Shinryu does not take betrayal easily...You must understand Larsa, Cosmos is the only one who can-"

The throne room ripped behind him. A gigantic claw thrust the gilded chair aside and Ashe managed to scramble out of the throne before her head bashed against one of the banner wrapped pillars of alabaster. Chaos emerged from the tear, his claw fitting firmly on Vayne's head. The latter closed his eyes in resignation and before Larsa's horrified stare, the monster tore Vanye in half.

The Archadian Emperor screamed, shuffling backwards and tripping over his chains. He landed with a painful thump and continued screaming.

Throwing the head against the wall, Chaos' lips pulled into a rapacious grin as he turned to Cosmos. She wiped a speck of brain and blood off her cheeks and grabbed her scythe, blade poised to reap.

* * *

**A/N:** When I read Vayne's personality profile, I sympathized with him. Villains as noble as him are truly hard to come by, besides, I understand his sibling complex. Once again, please read and review.

At Nonny: Deathgaze huh...if I'd known, I would've included that, it sounds pretty awesome, Cosmos fighting off a dragon while the people in the ship screamed for the goddess to grant them salvation. Cosmos has always known Hwit is in danger, his moogle form already accounts for this. However, she gives him space and patience since he is the great Hwit (self titled). Revenant Wings was pretty fun to play, Vaan is a sky pirate (living his dreams) and he gets the Galbana which takes him to the sky continent of Lemures. Lemures is quite stunning.


	30. Do not stand at my grave and weep

**Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep**

_Spider lilies grew plentiful, surrounding a grave. Gusts of violent wind tore the fragile petals and scattered them across the plains. Slowly removing his helmet, the Warrior of Light knelt at the grave, staring somberly at the inscription engraved on a simple slap of dark marble:_

**Here lies Garland.**

**Atoning for his sin.**

_Who killed him? The Warrior wondered. Who was strong enough to clash with this powerful warrior to martyr him and construct a grave? What was the purpose of the grave? Ridicule?_

_The spider lilies waved in the wind, a mark of death; their crimson petals swarmed the grave and in a twisted way, the Warrior of Light found the scene to be almost beautiful. In his left hand he cradled a crystal, an oblong piece of cerulean crystal with broken off edges._

_He studied the sparkling shard in his gloved hands and looked back at the grave. Who gave him this Crystal again? It thrummed with power..._

_...But what is he supposed to do with it?_

* * *

He woke up, light headed and in the sanctuary, no noises echoed from the small building of white stone.

Putting on his boots and stifling a yawn, he climbed the highest tower and bleary stared out of the glass-less window into Cornelia Plains beyond. A wide river cut through the fields of sparse grass and sitting on the parapet, body warmed by the early morning sun's rays, he watched birds hunt.

The sense of unease came later. Worry gnawed his stomach when the Warrior of Light realized that he could not remember what he did here or where everyone went. Surely there must be others in the sanctuary? Knights in training? Shuffling back to his spartanly furnished bedroom, he stopped in front of the looking glass.

Feathery white hair fell to his shoulders and a bare room gazed back at him. The chamber consisted only of a bed, a stand for his everyday clothes which...judging from the dust and empty racks, were not much. Only one spare set to be precise. Sunlight streamed through a casement window, throwing dappled patches on white washed walls. Slowly, his gaze traveled and settled on an intricate suit of armor and he blinked.

Putting on the armor, he caught his reflection on the mirror. Plates of cobalt metal with gold trimmings fit him snugly. He hefted a large shield, arm aching at its weight. A slim sword flashed in his hand and mildly alarmed, the Warrior of Light examined the tassels and put on the helmet.

Warrior of Light...

A vague feeling in his chest pointed him to the plains beyond the sanctuary. Following his instincts, he trudged over fields of dry, spare grass to reach his destination. At times rain lashed down, soaking him to the very bone and plastering his hair to his head. Other times the sun baked him, however with singular purpose in mind; he traversed the land and stopped in front of a grave strewn with spider lily petals.

Garland.

The name seemed familiar, he remembered a hulking, armored warrior with undying loyalty. And a promise made between them. But nothing else. Was there a war? A blooming hibiscus caught his attention and marching to it; he picked the flower and placed it on Garland's grave. There was a war, the Warrior of Light decided, and it is still continuing. The air grew heavy with negative emotions, he could feel it. Glancing at the Crystal gave him a sense of peace and he knelt at the grave, suddenly overcome with sadness.

A presence stood behind him, waiting patiently. Picking up his horned helmet from the dirt ground, he firmly fixed it on his head before slowly turning. A woman, the Warrior noted, eyes straying to her beast hands. She dressed indecently; her wine red dress' neckline plunged to her abdomen. Resolving to not let his gaze wander to anywhere unnecessary, he focused on her face. The woman's lips pressed into a thin, cruel sneer and his weapons flashed into existence.

"Give me the Crystal," Ultimecia demanded. She hated the unflappable Warrior of Light and his uptight morality. "I will spare you and this world." she spread her hands, "If you give me Cosmos' Crystal." She waited for his inevitable refusal and the call to a fight.

Instead, he examined the Crystal in his possession. "This belongs to Cosmos?" he asked, more to himself and Ultimecia's eyebrows arched in surprise. "I shall protect it for her." _Her..._ "Until then, I cannot hand over what is not mine."

The time witch clenched her teeth in annoyance. "Oh for time's sake!" she exclaimed angrily and lunged, her claws sparking off his shield. The Warrior tottered backwards, a myriad of emotions clashing across his face before regaining his balance and swinging clumsily.

A victorious simper unfurled across Ultimecia's lips as she digested a new piece of information: the Warrior of Light's memories were scrambled, perhaps missing. She hoped his combat experience also vanished along with his memories and drove him into a corner. He kept glancing back, to the mound of dirt serving as Garland's grave. "Hah!" she scoffed. "A grave for a traitor, I will have you stomping and desecrating all over that grave and-!"

Stab.

The tip of the light sword embedded in her shoulder and he sliced across emotionlessly. A burning pain accompanied the wound and Ultimecia drew back, hissing in pain. Barely did she stem the blood flow when he threw his shield; the pointed edge bashed against her temple and sent her reeling back.

She inhaled deeply, even if he failed to remember Cosmos and the Crystal, his combat memories were intact, she dodged a plunge to her abdomen, and it served him well.

The Warrior swerved around a kick to his stomach and his blade tip scored a new scar on Ultimecia's cheek. Lashing out, she wrapped her claws around his neck and squeezed.

The Warrior of Light gurgled and shrunk.

The helmet became loose on his head, drooping over his eyes.

One boot fell from his foot.

His hand shortened and the light sword fell with a dull thud to the grassy floor.

He tried to kick and at his feeble attempt, Ultimecia laughed. She let go when he fumbled with his helmet and pointed the horns at her. De-aged to a child, the Warrior of crashed to the floor and pouted angrily at her.

Ultimecia smiled when a tear wrinkled in the fabric of reality, time to surprise the goddess.

_Earlier:_

"Chaos." Cosmos leveled Cierr Harmonia at the demon's throat. "You were supposed to be vanquished, sleeping till the next cycle. What woke you?" she demanded, her steely glaze pinning the monster in place.

Faced with the goddess herself, Chaos briefly lapsed from his surroundings; she appeared the same as ever, regal, her hair flowing over her shoulders wildly and with a stern yet kind expression on her face. Yet...

"Speak before I shred you," she warned and reality returned for the demon. She looked angry, wrathful and the shadow of death flickered behind her face; a ghostly reminder of what the Goddess of Harmony was capable of. Shinryu said Cosmos did not remember anything, is this what the dragon referred to?

Edging away from the godly blade screaming for his blood, Chaos protectively wrapped the lower set of arms around himself; it was not supposed to be like this. Cosmos would never look at him with such hatred...Unless... **"You lost your memories,"** he growled and on the floor, Larsa jumped, his voice hoarse from screaming. The Emperor shuffled backwards and Vaan knelt, one cobalt eye trained in disgust at Chaos whilst he opened the cuffs. **"You do not remember me,"** Chaos stated, a hint of forlorn lacing his voice.

At his throat, Cierr Harmonia wavered and Cosmos steadied her grip. What is Chaos talking about? "Speak," she commanded again, "or face the consequences of standing in my way. You are but a pawn of Shinryu. I have slayed countless before you and I will not hesitate to do so if you are aiding the dragon. Step aside Chaos, you do not wish to be hurt."

_**"Cosmos walks the universes, neglecting her duty to this one," **_Shinryu's whispers flooded Chaos' mind, _**"neglecting her duty to **_**you.**

_**"She is your guardian; she must look after you,"**_ the dragon's poisonous advice continued, **"**_**yet what is she doing? She wants to kill you and you must defend yourself.**_

_**"Fight for me.**_

_**"Fight for your survival."**_

Roaring rage, he leapt for Cosmos and she whirled the blade. The curved scythe cut through his flesh with no resistance and shocked at how easily she harmed him, Chaos lurched backwards, clutching his bleeding stump. Stripped of reason, he crouched and rammed into the goddess, sending her flying across the massive throne room and colliding with the thick marble doors. The doors cracked in the middle and fell open, revealing surprised Archadian guards. Shooting to her feet, Cosmos scythed through the air and a crescent blade of energy gouged a section of muscle out of Chaos' chest. He glanced dismally at his blood spattering on the floor

Arm stump swinging, he punched a marble column and picked up an intact piece, pointing the jagged edges at Cosmos, he launched the stone pillar and it soared through the large throne room, missing Basch's head by a mere inch and ploughed into Cosmos. Chaos' victory became short lived when the marble column split at the seams and crashed to the floor.

Dust painting her brows, Cosmos charged out of the broken heaps and before she cleaved Chaos in half, he fell backwards, into a tunnel running through the Void and without stopping, the goddess chased after him.

* * *

They landed in the fields of Cornelia and letting little to deter her quest of putting down Chaos once and for all, she sent Cierr Harmonia spinning after the demon. Chaos teleported, rooting to a spot behind a heap of gold plated armor.

A red headed child popped out, struggling with the oversized breastplate fastened to his chest with leather straps. He looked up in alarm at the whizzing scythe and dove to the ground, reaching for the light sword.

Cierr Harmonia stopped a hair's breadth away from the child's face, the blade whistling. Face blanched of color, the boy shuffled away from the humming blade and swallowed nervously. He looked up on bumping against leathery skin and stared at Chaos. The demon snarled and his kneecaps hissed. Eyeing the little demon face kneecaps, the child dragged himself between Cosmos and Chaos and used the sword to saw through the leather straps.

The goddess stared at the child and at the armor pieces scattered across the ground. "Warrior of Light?" she whispered, not wanting to believe the child could be the champion of her champions.

A Crystal glinted in the swaddle of his clothes and free from the oppressive breastplate, he kicked off his oversized pants and used them to wrap the crystal. Three beings ogled the child from three different angles and Ultimecia broke the silence.

"So what to do you think?" the witch drawled huskily, pointing a finger at the de-aged Warrior. "He has very little memories." Cosmos' head snapped to the talking sorceress. "And what little he possessed, I erased with my spells. De-aged to a child." Ultimecia threw her head back and laughed haughtily. "I wonder how you will fare, fighting against the two of us whilst protecting your precious Warrior and Crystal?"

In response, the child picked up the sword, held it firmly and pointed the tip at Ultimecia. His shirt fell like a tunic, reaching till his knees, barefoot; he lunged at the sorceress whilst she simpered and the blade bit into her exposed thigh. Grunting, the boy sliced viciously downwards and blood sprayed the dry grass.

He glared at Ultimecia who cursed fluently at him. "I never had many memories," he stated, tone high pitched and unlike him. "My earlier recollections start from combat and warfare." He hefted the sword like a lance. "I don't know who you are," his silver eyes flitted from the sorceress, to Cosmos and thereafter to Chaos, "however my age will not stop me from vanquishing you!"

Blade aloft, he lashed, holding the sword with two hands and impaling Ultimecia through her foot. Shrieking, she kicked him and he somersaulted through the sky, colliding painfully against a dilapidated tower standing several meters away. The ruined tower crumpled and moldy bricks fell on him. The child Warrior rose, chunks of eroded stone nestling in his hair, holding his sword like a lance, he charged again, blade eroding in his grasp. Sending his weapon a bewildered glance, he continued careering, plunging the last inch of blunt blade into the witch's shin.

She screamed and slashed with her claws as he ducked. Her lilac nails dug into his chin, shredding through soft skin. Panting, the boy held his arms out and the Shield of Light flashed into existence. Staggering under its weight, the breathed heavily and let the tip dig into the ground.

Chaos watched the proceedings, a smile lifting the corner of his demonic mouth. The red headed child could barely lift the shield, the metal guard reached a good few centimeters above his head. Peeking from behind it, he jerked back when Cosmos crouched to his level.

"Do not be alarmed," she softly said as his eyes glazed over in mistrust. "You are the Warrior of Light," she tried to cajole his memories but his childish features remained guarded, "and I am Cosmos." She paused, waiting for a hint of recognition in his expression. "You used to fight for me." The goddess rose and swiped her hand, Cierr Harmonia flew, disrupting Ultimecia's spell. "Do you remember absolutely nothing?"

Warrior of Light stood on his tip toes, to better see the blonde goddess towering above him. "I remember how to fight, if little else," he curtly replied and nodded to Ultimecia. "She is weaker than the demon, I will fight her, you keep _him_ at bay." He ducked behind his shield when Chaos barreled into Cosmos. Taken off guard, she skidded into the dirt, her heels sprouting stinging nettle along the way.

Holding the aegis sideways, the Warrior of Light flung it with all his might and slicing across the air, it clipped Ultimecia on her forehead, shearing one of her hair horns. The time witch grabbed the shield before it swung back to its owner and punched into to a handful of metallic dust.

The child remained unfazed; his blazing eyes roamed the ground, searching for a new weapon. Sprinting, he grabbed his horned helmet and rolled to the side when a small meteor cratered the place. Uttering an involuntary shriek of terror, he zigzagged across the battlefield when space debris rained from the heavens.

Meters away from him, the goddess and her opposite fought, her scythe clanging off the beast's three arms. A thick tail bashed Cosmos against her ribs and coughing ichor, she pressed a hand against her jacket, healing her injuries instantaneously. A meteor descended towards her, streaking orange and blue fire and before the child shouted a warning, she pointed at the gigantic hunk of stone and it exploded.

Cosmos...

He stared at the makeshift clothes pouch dangling at his skinny waist. It contained a pretty crystal. A memory nagged him; the crystal belong to someone. A person important and dear to him. Her? The fighting goddess?

The demon god grabbed the woman by her hair and used another arm to snatch the dancing scythe from the air. Momentarily mesmerized by his power, he observed Chaos pound the goddess' weapon into a steaming sphere of smoking metal. He tossed the ball to the ground where it melted into a puddle.

**"Your weapon is destroyed,"** Chaos thundered as lightning flashed overhead, **"cease struggling!"**

"Hmph!" Cosmos scorned and pressed her palms together, retracting them slowly, despite dangling from Chaos' chokehold; she showed no signs of fatigue.

Driven by a sense of urgency, the child warrior grasped his horned helmet and hurtled, sinking the makeshift weapon into Chaos' grinning kneecap.

The demon howled and his third arm powered up a fireball. The flame ignited, consuming the three of them into an inferno.

Warrior of Light staggered out of the column of fire, skin burnt into an ugly red. He wanted to scream in pain and instead, wiped tears streaking down his face. Hands blistered, he straggled out of the radius of burnt grass and collapsed to the ground. A blinding light shone in the pillar of smoke, grey clouds gathered overhead and forks of lightning danced from one pregnant cloud to the other. The meteors stopped raining and with aching fingers, he untied the pouch at his waist.

Smoke cleared.

The goddess parted her palms and a pearly white scythe rotated in the space. Spinning. Still swaying from Chaos' death grip, she spoke, _"I name thee, Cierr Harmonia."_ A crescent blade of energy erupted from the blade and slammed in Chaos. He shot backwards, missing half his face and body smashing into the old ruins. Grasping the scythe, the goddess teleported after the demon god, however Ultimecia reversed time and Cosmos materialized in her initial position.

Taking advantage, the boy sprinted, the blisters popping on his legs burnt like fire and with the time sorceress clawing for him; he stopped in front of Cosmos, warily eyeing the humming scythe.

Tearing his eyes away from the weapon of mass destruction, he held up the Crystal.

"This is yours, Lady Cosmos." The words spilled out of his cracked lips as his body tingled. His hands grew smaller and the goddess seemed taller. Reaching for Cosmos desperately, he shriveled.

Letting go of Cierr Harmonia, the goddess bent, she did not take the Crystal from his hands and instead, cradled a toddler Warrior of Light in her arms.

He blinked, one chubby hand threading through her golden hair.

"I'm sorry," the Warrior of Light apologized, the oblong piece of cerulean crystal lying on his small chest. "I lost my memories, like you. I was asleep." He struggled to talk with his infantile vocal cords and Cosmos tried to halt time around him. To her utter horror, his little toes imploded, turning into atoms. "I couldn't keep my promise to Garland," he squeaked, head turning to see the grave, "and I failed to protect you." He stared at her, some unspoken emotion shining through his silver eyes before his pupils shifted to the sky and his chest stilled.

Hwit flashed into existence as Cosmos delicately touched her Crystal. The glass shattered with a pleasant twinkle and the moogle spun a small bronze dagger in his oversized claws.

He plunged the dagger in the red headed child's forehead whilst Cosmos watched, aghast. "Good riddance," Hwit growled as the Warrior of Light exploded into nothing.

* * *

**A/N:** Hwit, what did you do?! Ahhh, there goes the Warrior of Light, even as a child, I think he'd still be formidable in battle. Please read and review, constructive criticism is always appreciated.

At Nonny: Hwit (TM) crossed the threshold of no return. He's a villain now, like his greater conscious Shinryu. Cosmos thinks its weird, but any attempt to reason with him ends with a fight or a period of longer silence. I prefer talking, if talking actually works. If not, hands on is better. I was fascinated by Vayne, so I used him as the Warrior of Chaos instead of Gabranth, the dynamic between him and Larsa is good too.

As for Chaos and Cosmos, you'd have to read and find out :P


	31. Teardrops labelled pain

**Teardrops Labeled Pain**

One moment he lay dead in her arms.

The next, his existence imploded. Turning into nothing

_**Nothing.**_

Cosmos snatched her scythe and slashed the air.

A blade, glittering gold and with a magic circle blooming behind it, slammed into Ultimecia and the time witch screamed as her existence unraveled. Her dress came apart completely, reduced to ragged threads before her legs withered into matchsticks. Screaming and clawing her cheeks, she aged into a former, wrinkly husk of herself as Cosmos stood and glared defiantly at her.

"I granted you a chance, wicked sorceress..._and you chose to waste it._"

Ultimecia could not speak; she gurgled and turned into a mound of dust.

Turning to the fluttering moogle, Cosmos smiled sadly, "It is good to see you after so long Hwit...I trust you are still fighting?"

The moogle toyed with his dagger, expression emotionless. He eyed Cierr Harmonia and sensed unprecedented power flowing through it. So she powers up yet again, his conscious sneered and with an irritable jerk, he faced his back towards her.

For some reason his pawn, Chaos, lay in the rubble, regenerating slowly and thoughts a whirl. The demon god's emotions see-sawed from anger to sadness and Hwit turned around, eyes of burnished gold trained on Cosmos. "Kill me," he stated brusquely and to her credit, Cosmos' mouth did not fall open in astonishment. "Cosmos, I am not myself anymore, kill me and spare me the agony of watching you die!" he growled lowly and the ruins vanished.

"It sounds like you have given up on me Hwit, which is not like you," the goddess stated quietly, still refusing to raise her weapon. The hem of her jacket tinted into grey, her hair danced wildly around her. "You believe in me no more."

"Insolent goddess!" Hwit shouted, wings flapping erratically and the plains of Cornelia vanished into nothing. Darkness swirled around Cosmos. "You call yourself a goddess? You, who let your emotions dictate your actions?" Cosmos did not lower her eyes in shame, she evenly held the wrathful moogle's gaze. "Cease looking at me like that! Have I not taught you to be impartial?! Will you let discord run amok?! _This_," he stabbed a claw in his furry chest, "is discord, Hwit is no more!"

In the darkness, Chaos roared, flickers of Cornelia plain melted back into existence as Hwit swerved wildly from side to side, trying to fight for control. His growls morphed into an enraged roar and a large bronze dagger materialized from thin air. Directing the dagger with the flap of his wings, he sent the knife flying for Cosmos. Cierr Harmonia rose to meet it, dancing out of the dagger's reach and keeping it at bay. The curved blade flicked the knife out of reach; the goddess leapt forward, slender fingers closing over the weapon shaft. Lips muttering a soundless prayer, she guided Cierr Harmonia towards Hwit who stood still.

Hesitating for a fraction of a second, Cosmos closed her eyes when the blade tore through the moogle's furry skin.

It sliced effortlessly through the small bones making up Hwit's spine and emerged on the other end, glittering bronze ichor dripping off the edge.

A hollow sadness settled in her chest; Cornelia plains flickered, eroding in patches to reveal the end of the Void. Hwit's blood dropped on the arid, smoking ground and tilting her chin to the perpetual twilight, Cosmos allowed herself a moment to grieve.

_'Grieve?'_ She could almost hear his crass commentary. _'You don't have time to grieve! Move!'_

She opened her eyes to Chaos looming ominously over her, a crackling ball of black energy in his palm. He roared, his foul breath washing over her face.

Lifting the staff end of her weapon, she lodged it in the middle of his chest and he grunted in frustration as a force-field anchored him in place. "Chaos," she softly called, "we do not have time to fight each other. I sense no malicious intent behind you actions…why are you doing this?"

He dissolved in a mess of angry grunts and broken sentences. **"Your duty was to keep the other world in balance."** He shredded the force-field and a ring of white light bound his arms and tail together. **"You abandoned your post! You travelled to the worlds ignoring your duties!"** Chaos thrashed and the bonds squeezed him tighter, he realized he could not break out of the streams of light and the thought induced a fresh wave of anger in him. **"Untie me!"** he screeched. "**You don't remember your purpose; I will make you remember it! You don't remember me!"** The cords of light severed around him and his tail lashed sideways, clubbing Cosmos on her upper arm and driving her to the smoking ground. Getting up with barely a scratch on her two toned jacket, she fended off his blows effortlessly.

Brow furrowed in concentration, Cosmos replayed his words in her mind. Did he not know Shinryu ousted her from power? Was he truly ignorant of her state when she clawed her way out of the Void? The dark chasm Shinryu cast her in? Leaving her to wane completely but not die?

"You are mistaken," she said and received the full blow of Chaos' wrath. The demon stopped abruptly after lacerating her face, and examined his claws, whimpering at the silver ichor staining his nails. "Shinryu has fed you lies." Cosmos stood tall, asserting power and confidence in the confused monster's presence. "The planesgorger betrayed us both." Her eyes softened. "The last war you and I were directly involved in, I granted my Warriors crystals to triumph against you." Chaos' face twisted into something resembling guilt and sadness, momentarily taken aback by his expression, Cosmos faltered, "...I was weakened and although the passage of time would restore me back to full power, keeping the...manikins at bay taxed me during the cycle before that. On top of this," Chaos' tail slowly flicked from side to side as he listened, head cocked, "Shinryu took advantage of my weakened state to banish me to the Void."

The wounds on her face healed, leaving dried silver stains beneath her eyes and running down her cheeks. Chaos lowered his eyes to the ground, gouging the earth with a wicked, ruby claw. His grinning kneecaps stared at the goddess sorrowfully and he crossed two of his arms over his chest.

**"You still don't know who I am,"** the demon god stated petulantly.

Cierr Harmonia vanished with a muted pop of light, much to Chaos' relief. "You are Chaos," the goddess stated delicately, "the embodiment of disharmony. The two of us govern this world, keeping a balance between the forces of light and darkness. You were put to sleep after the last war, when my Warriors defeated you."

A pair of wings tore out of the demon's back, raining blood which stained the earth orange, he waited for Cosmos to elaborate however she stopped speaking and looked at him inquisitively, probing for answers. Masking his emotions and putting up a guard, he pointed to a hill overlooking the land of the two moons. **"Shinryu's throne is over there and although you answered my questions...those are the answers I do not seek."** Saying this, he lifted off the ground with a mighty heave of his wings.

Understandably confused, Cosmos watched as he melted into a speck into the sky.

One of the numerous blood-orange stars studding the grey canopy.

* * *

Landing heavily on the hilltop and kicking up clouds of magma veined dirt; Chaos kicked the iron throne and grimaced when white hot pain shot up his leg. Steam fizzled from his knee-cap face and he paced agitatedly. The dragon left out crucial details it seems. Claws wreathed in silvery black energy, he whirled around, scoring three gashes on Shinryu's snout. Gripping an armored scale, he ripped it right off tossed it back in the dragon's eye.

**"You failed to get rid of her."** Unfazed, Shinryu spread his wings, the velvety insides rippling. **"Cosmos abandoned you, have you forgotten?"**

Chaos's tail wrapped around Shinryu's scaly throat and he squeezed. **"You did not mention that she lost her memories because of YOU!"** The monster's hold on the dragon slipped and he gurgled in rage. "**You put her in the void, you allowed the Light Warriors to cast me into a deep sleep and **_**you**_** manipulated the cycles! I-mph!"** Chaos ploughed face first in the ground, his mouth full of dirt, he mumbled incoherently whilst Cosmos apologetically stepped off his back.

"I apologize, teleportation in the back door of the Void is _extremely_ difficult." She brushed flecks of lava from her hair and Chaos slowly got up, wincing at his shattered ribs. "I used the iron throne as a point of reference however it seems I crashed into you, it was unintentional Chaos."

**"Stop yammering!"** he growled and gasped for air. Each breath felt like swallowing boiling magma and his insides screamed. Contact with Cosmos always proved to be damning and her bruised soles smoked and healed. Cierr Harmonia materialized in its eye searing glory and the blade edge buried deep into the iron throne.

The three of them stood with the wailing throne in their midst, it acted as a buffer. Chaos glowered at Cosmos, wrath welling in his chest. He did not understand why so much anger coursed through his veins. A part of him refused to believe Cosmos forgot who he was. The goddess stood opposite him, her bright blue gaze searching deep in his soul. Uncomfortable, he looked away. Behind the high backed chair weaved with the souls of the undead, Shinryu observed his two players.

Channeling his rage, Chaos grabbed a piece of the iron throne and wrenched the arm rest. The metal melted and reformed into a rod with a dozen spikes, piercing through his leathery hands and flecking blood on the chair. The throne twisted and constantly reformed but at the spot where Cierr Harmonia bit deep into the metal, the iron throne did not warp. Wielding the spike, he hammered it on Shinryu's head and the dragon snapped, forehead denting.

His eyes narrowed, did Chaos, his pawn, rebel from authority? Perhaps Cosmos' influence softened him, she did have that effect. The effect of harmonization. Pulling the spike out of his forehead, he ate the rod and lunged for Cierr Harmonia.

Teeth met stardust and the weapon refused to erase from existence. It buzzed in his mouth, growing hotter and dug out of the iron thorn, spinning and shearing a few of his saw teeth. Pulling back, Shinryu dodged a blow to his neck and spread his wings, taking to the sky. The scythe followed him, whizzing like a chainsaw and nipping at his wings. Grabbing the weapon with his talons, Shinryu propelled it at Chaos who stood there defiantly with his arms crossed.

Good riddance of a useless pawn.

Before the scythe buried deep into the demon's flesh, Cosmos raised her hand at it obediently swerved away. She glared at Shinryu who suppressed a feral smile. Did he glimpse pain beyond the glassy surfaces of her eyes? Perching on top of the throne's backrest, he leered at her.

**"Is Hwit dead?"** he asked and she stiffened. **"I trapped him a cage of bronze and he would thrash endlessly each time I tried to see what you were up to...I wanted to observe my pupil's progress."**

"You are not my mentor anymore! You are a fallen, power hungry dragon with no morality," Cosmos thundered. In the blue-grey sky, lightning flashed. "I do not recognize your suzerainty any longer. I shall reap you here and now and restore harmony to this land!"

Cierr Harmonia in hand, Cosmos leapt for the dragon roosted on the fringes of the throne. Shinryu dove to the ground, wrapped his long tail around Chaos' throat and rested on the demon's shoulders. Without hesitating, the goddess charged, no mercy in her eyes. She raised her scythe, ready to cleave through both dragon and demon.

Lips pulling back at her wanton determination, Shinryu, wings swamping a petrified Chaos, rasped, **"I applaud you."** Cierr Harmonia sliced through his wing and descended, hacking off the demon's right arm. He hissed in pain. **"You who would murder your own child to achieve your means."**

The blade cut through, digging into the ground.

Cierr Harmonia, trickling with blood sunk into the earth. Chaos, missing two arms, stared at the dismembered limb in disbelief, he looked up, twin pupils fixed on Cosmos' profile. She stood remorseless with the blinding weapon by her side and sluggishly the pain registered.

Orange red blood dripped from the demon's stumps, was this his punishment? Divine retribution from Cosmos because he rampaged and nearly killed her? Did she hold his mindlessness against him?

Did she understand what Shinryu said?

The goddess shook her head, blazing blue pupils shrinking in displeasure as she glared at Shinryu. Bronze talons dug into Chaos' back, steaming and dribbling blood. The monster barely felt the pain, his mind whirled around, his eyes flickered from the barren landscape studded with pits of lava, to the constantly warping iron throne, to the limbs growing fetid and rotting on the ground near Cosmos' feet. She cut him, his thoughts spun on the single fact.

She cut him.

_She cut him._

She cut him...his arm lay on the ground, at her feet, she did not spare him a glance; she stared at the dragon, her ire shining like a supernova through her eyes.

Cosmos's fingers curled around her scythe, the weapon buzzed in her palm. "_Child..._" she finally articulated, the word foreign and heavy on her tongue. "I possess no offspring," her lips twisted, "I am a single entity, bound by nothing and existing solely on my own terms. You do not define me." She pointed her blade at Shinryu, the curved edge bending what little light diffused in the barren realm. "And you," her blade dipped and quivered ever so slightly, "are nothing in relation to me." Somewhere in the confines of Chaos' ribcage, he heard his heart drumming frantically, smashing against the walls of muscle. "You are the God of Discord: we stand in opposite sides, balancing the universe."

Shinryu's lips curled back when Chaos refused to reply, he noticed the monster's muscle shifting, tensing and sagging in defeat. **"Chaos is not a god,"** the dragon began and Cosmos let go of Cierr Harmonia, a slight hint of confusion shaping her face. **"He is not a god,"** Shinryu spread his wings, talons flexing for a better purchase on his fleshy roost, "**he is a demon, monster, whatever you want to call him, a created entity born from the other universe and brought here."** Chaos' tail thrashed irritably and one of his wings jerked upwards, rebounding off Shinryu's armored scales. **"He was created, in what those humes called a laboratory and due to the nature of his creations, he was gifted with powers he did not want.**

**"Unfortunately for the little monster, the world leaders seized hold of him and once he refused to co-operate, his 'mother' was brought in and threatened."** Cosmos did not like were the story headed, her gut wrenched into unpleasant knots and her breathing quickened as Shinryu leered, obviously enjoying the tell of his terrible tale. **"The little monster eventually cooperated with the army, claiming tens, hundreds, thousands of lives before his rage and sorrow consumed him and he tore open a portal to this idyllic world which you and I governed.**

**"Lo and behold,"** Shinryu's teeth flashed in the dim glow of far reaching pools of fire, **"he finds a goddess in this realm, one fair haired woman who turns out to be the spitting image of his mother."**

The scythe teleported, shredding an armored wing; the crescent blade hooked underneath Shinryu, tearing him from Chaos' back and flinging him against the iron throne. The dragon roared in mirth, irises of burnished gold dilating as Cosmos advanced, directing Cierr Harmonia with her hands. Over and over the godly scythe dipped, shredding bronze scales of amour till Shinryu opened his mouth again and swallowed the weapon whole.

"I see you demoted yourself to those same lowly mortals you speak so scornfully of." Cosmos spread her palms slowly, forehead creasing when Cierr Harmonia refused to materialize. "You manipulated Chaos in exactly the same way those mortals used him, for your own benefit. What did you hope to gain?" she asked as a meteor hurtled from the twilight sky. "Have you not learned? I cannot be put down, if you cast me to the Void, I shall rise again."

The dragon's tail blurred sideways, erected scales bashing against Cosmos and sent her flying to the side of a red sandstone cliff. The cliff reduced to rubble, smoking. She got up, her outline broken by a screen of dust and Shinryu rocked to his feet, roaring in her general direction. The landscape reduced to nothing, an empty plain of black reminiscent of the Void proper. The goddess darted, teleporting behind the dragon and Shinryu whirled around, wing edges barely catching across her throat. Weaponless, she retreated at a respectable distance and wiped a sheen of sweat from her brow whilst Chaos stood around uselessly.

**"End her,"** Shinryu commanded, voice dropping into a cavernous, velvety murmur. "**If you do so I shall release you from this cycle you are forced into. Who is to say I am the only one using you?"** Cosmos surged out of thin air and a ring of fire bloomed from her hands. Sidestepping the golden flames easily, Shinryu sent the rest of the magical flame back. **"You are naught but a pawn, your original purpose was to fight against Cosmos and create enough energy to build a portal back, but she...lured you to stay here did she not?"** he whispered convincingly. "**You can never win against her can you? She is keeping you here of against your will and willing to kill you while she's at it."**

Shinryu sent Cosmos flying with a Megaflare, pleased when the protective jacket melted off her body; she thudded to the ground, got up eventually and pushed her mess of golden hair behind her ears. **"Earn your freedom demon,"** the bronze armored dragon purred as Chaos rocketed away, kicking up earth.

The vengeful demon crashed to a stop before Cosmos and grabbed her head, wrenching it backwards.

* * *

**A/N:** After finding out Chaos' origins and history, I feel a bit sorry for Chaos. But will he spare Cosmos or give in to Shinryu's persuasion?

Read and review people, dark chocolate is theraputic for the soul. Incidentally, I stole some from the family cache and if I don't make an appearance next week, know that my beloved Mindy has buried me.

At Nonny: Hwit is dead. No use having him screwed over, he screwed himself :( WOL will always be badass in my eyes, even better is the fact that Cecil follows him around respectfully. Hardly anything shocks Cosmos, the most being unwanted destruction. She knew of Hwit, but of course the knowledge didn't make the hurt any less. Poor Chaos though.


	32. Cosmos

**Cosmos**

Claws wreathed in strands of golden hair streaked with dirt, Chaos loomed over Cosmos; she gasped for breath but no fear flickered on her face. His arm stumps swung around, dried blood caking the edges and his tail beat the earth like a club. The goddess did not squirm and struggle in his vise grip; she merely stared at him, bare arms shining with a lattice of drying ichor. She hung limply and against the voice screaming in his mind, Chaos retracted.

A shooting star streaked across the sky, glowing brighter and hotter than the belt of blood orange stars studding the heavens. The sphere swerved, careering downwards towards Cosmos, her golden ornaments glowed in the light cast by the falling star and Chaos stepped back, pupils narrowing at Cierr Harmonia hurtling for his neck.

"We shall meet again Chaos," the goddess stated softly, a smattering of silver across her lips. "The next time we meet-" air whistled around his ears, the beating of webbed wings, "-I shall take you to the different worlds, we can have ice-cream..." her words died in his ears and a dozen teeth pierced his neck. "We shall..."

Cosmos stopped speaking when Chaos imploded into nothing. His skin swelled, popping and before blood and bits of organ sprayed on her halter dress, the droplets evaporated in the thin air. Cierr Harmonia vibrated angrily in Shinryu's curled tail, the tip of the godly scythe strained to rip the scales off the armored dragon's back.

Time stopped.

The goddess lunged and the scythe whipped back to her, she swiped the blade, aiming to catch Shinryu's head along with it, the frozen dragon retreated.

Time flowed.

He jerked back, wings blasting air in Cosmos' face, her hair flipped back wildly and she jumped when the ground erupted beneath her. Hands reached from below, catching the tails of her dress and a curve of light blue energy scarred the ground. The hands wailed and retreated.

A magic circle inked itself across the earth, growing, expanding to all corners of the barren plain. Keeping the flitting goddess at bay with his thick tail, Shinryu whirled around, struggling to lift off the ground.

A shapeless mist rose from the glittering circle and condensed to form an individual cloaked in silks of grey. Thick chains, the color of slate, wrapped the individual's billowing cloak to its body and **Death** raised its head, hefting two long barreled guns.

**Death** did not often smile, when it was a wee brat, awkwardly manipulating a grey scythe twice its size, it kept its hood over a masked face and its head remained bowed at all times.

_Now_, the same entity grinned wide, shapeless eyes crinkling behind its death mask and hefted the impossibly long guns at Shinryu.

_"_**_Death_**_...I implore you to reap,"_ Cosmos ordered whilst hovering above him, her palms pressed together.

Grinning inching to a respectable, unnerving smile, **Death** launched and shot with careless abandon.

Bullets spat, gouging earth, ripping scales and the guns sounded like ominous thunder. Shinryu tore from the gravitational pull anchoring him to the floor and took the skies, glaring at**Death**. The individual simply smiled and jumped, slamming the butt end of his gun against the dragon's snout. A dark bruise flowered and faded immediately. Whipping the gun, **Death** wrapped Shinryu with a long chain and stared at dismay when the chain eroded into bits of dust.

The entity stopped for a split second, examining his broken chain and a tail thwacked him backwards into Cosmos. Before colliding, **Death** sent another chain and Shinryu growled.

Since when did the offshoot of a brat grow so strong?!

Irises of burnished gold flickered towards Cosmos, her eyes following **Death's** minute movements. The individual leveled the guns and bullets ripped.

They slammed in Shinryu with the force of a cannon ball and he roared, reducing the remaining hail of bullets into dust. The planesgorger roared again, this time taking **Death's** long guns and eating part of his hands.

Again, **Death** stared at its hands quizzically and shook them. To Shinryu's boiling wrath, Cosmos wrapped **Death's** hands in hers and the appendages grew back, the individual grinned again, rotated his arms and clapped his hands, parting them slowly to reveal a silvery grey scythe.

The curved blade scythed through Shinryu's forelimb, stopped by his hardened skeleton. Not missing a beat, **Death** grinded the blade against the bone and grabbed the awkwardly hanging talon. With a grunt, he sent Shinryu flying for the nearest cliff.

Flapping his wings to regain control, the dragon hissed when Cierr Harmonia whizzed out of thin air and dug in his eye. Gold ichor trickled down the side of his face. The scythe lifted and suddenly **Death** grinned again, spinning the godly scythe in its hands.

The weapon flashed, hooking on Shinryu's scales and ripping them from his leathery hide. He roared in pain.

Pain...when last did he feel such _agony?_

The scales rose in the air and fluttered to the ground like bronze, oversized confetti.

Behind the furiously working **Death**, Cosmos looked down on Shinryu.

He lunged forward, earning a deep, irreparable cut to his side. **Death** jerked back, not quick enough and stared at the hole in his chest. The individual brought Cierr Harmonia up to block a devastating talon strike and sprang backwards. Shinryu almost smiled when with a flap of his wings, **Death** melted and along with it, Cosmos lowered to the floor.

Her dress lost its pure white luster, instead ash, dirt and her draining strength colored the dress into grey. Grey and soulless like the environment surrounding them.

**"You superimposed yourself on Death,"** Shinryu triumphantly gloated as Cosmos leaned on her scythe. **"Did you think you would be able to get rid of me that easily? I am wounded by your lack of faith in me."** The dragon hissed as one wing snapped at the base and tumbled to the earth, smoke rose from his flank, his tail lay like an extra, useless organ and growling under his breath, he tore his broken forelimb. **"Stand still and bear witness as I devour this world!"**

He opened his mouth wide, bronze gullet glittering in the dark surrounds. Shinryu took a deep breath, his ribcage rattling and prepared to roar, to blast the backdoor to the Void into nothing.

A light sword flew like a comet and impaled his exposed gullet. Another rained from the sky, spearing his working wing. And yet another dozen hammered on his tail, his back legs and Shinryu screamed gutturally, trying to tear free from the needles of light.

"I'm not dead after all." The Warrior of Light examined himself, flexing his fingers and Cosmos spun around, knees weak in relief. His expression hardened at the sight of Shinryu gurgling angrily. Kneeling to the ground, the Warrior of Light paid due respect to Cosmos and straightened up. "I do not have much time, I must return," he factually stated before turning around and vanishing as abruptly as he came.

Cosmos blinked at his brusque entrance and exit. A figment of her imagination?

But the unearthly roars of pain emanating from Shinryu and the curses he hurled towards the peeling sky told another tale.

Breathing deeply, she clasped her scythe firmly and walked, coming to a pause in front of the thrashing dragon.

"You brought this upon yourself, Shinryu," Cosmos commented, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why?" she asked, mournful at what has become of her once beloved mentor. "Why do this for power? You are the most powerful being in the multi-universe and I fail to grasp your intentions."

Body heaving and steam curling from his leathery, wrinkled hide, Shinryu shuffled, angling his face so the goddess saw the hate simmering in his eyes. What would she know? How could she understand? The pull of power was absolute. **"Do you not hunger for power?"** he rasped, long strings of saliva dripping off his jaws. **"Of course you do,"** he replied to his question, **"you would not be seeking the Crystals if you did not want power."** The dragon reared to his benumbed hind legs.**"Let me tell you Cosmos: it is in everything's nature to want power, to grow stronger each minute, each second, to evolve into the ultimate being and reach a state where nothing can surpass, I am for such a cosmos, a place of constant strife where only the truly powerful will ascend the next plane of existence. What do you see now?"** He attempted a feeble lunge and Cosmos smacked his snapping jaws away from her. **"A mismatch of worlds, each planet governed by their own rules, the races, the mortals fighting madly and only the victor has their voices heard."**

"As it should be," Cosmos raised her scythe high, Shinryu was beyond saving, black veins spread across his skin and the remaining scales chafed off. "The world spins in the direction of what is right, not in the direction of the strong."

**"Should be?!"** the dragon roared and the veins receded, the plains beyond Cosmos reduced to nothing, a storm of dust swirling in the Void. **"You do not hunger for power any longer?"** he sneered, **"you do, I see it in your eyes, you want to be the supreme ruler of this universe, you are a hypocrite, Cosmos!"**

Struggling valiantly against the light swords pinning him to a floor darker than black, Shinryu growled defiantly as the scythe swung at him. For a split second, Cosmos' face melted away, replaced by the grinning mask of **Death**, a silver grey hood shaded her head and Cierr Harmonia descended like a pendulum.

Shinryu grinned; his head flew in an arc, trailing bronze ichor.

"I do not seek power," the goddess' voice echoed everywhere. "I am the ultimate form, a goddess; I am free of such desires." She picked up the dragon's head; bronze fluid seeped into her palms. "You blood shall cleanse this land Shinryu, and the wars will start anew. Fear not," a ghost of a smile crept across her face, "I shall uphold what you failed to do."

An explosion of emerald spread outwards from her heels. Greenery carpeted the barren landscape, forcing the rivers of lava to flow in reverse. Trees sprouted, grew and bloomed into pastel shades of pink, mauve, orange and yellow gold. As the universe orbited and expanded around her, Cosmos stood in the center, cradling Shinryu's head. Gold stained her dress.

And tear tracks drew wet lines on her cheeks.

* * *

**A/N:** Death was inspired by Persona 3's death. I remember when I first ran into that thing in Tartarus…my god I was out of that dungeon very fast. There is an epilogue after this for those who are interested. Reviews and constructive criticism are welcome.

At Nonny: Half-truths are a good form of manipulation. You don't get the whole story and its difficult to refute it because it is 'true.' Whoa, I didn't think about WoL like that, related to Chaos huh? Well, Chaos is resting in peace, the poor demon deserves it. And yeah, the chapter is heavy, so I wanted to lighten it up a bit.


	33. To infinity and beyond

**To Infinity And Beyond**

_When she released Golbez from the shackles placed by Shinryu, it took him a while to recover. The Lunarian stumbled about, hands pressed to his wounds and he fearfully eyed Shinryu's head, sitting in the center of the world and bleeding life. Golbez often checked over his shoulder and sought out darkened undergrowth to hide in. Cosmos let him heal._

_Healing was often a nasty process._

* * *

"Uncle Golbez!" Ceodore gasped and his sword clattered to the training room floor.

Opposite him, Kain groaned, what was this? A new tactic to escape the grueling stances he put the young prince through? Ceodore did want to become the next King of Baron and Kain will swear loyalty to none but the best paladin. The prince bolted across the marble floor, his striped scarf whirling and the dragoon spared a moment of pity for both the boy and the King. They missed Golbez terribly. Exhaling through gritted teeth, he pushed his helmet up his forehead, bunched his long hair irritably together and stalked after the departing Ceodore.

"Uncle Golbez!"

The shout rang loud, clear and stepping out of the portal which lead to the scorched fields of Baron, Golbez only stared. War raked its devastating claws across the beautiful Kingdom of Baron and disorientated, the Lunarian gawked for a while. A tower to his right crumbled, grey blocks of stone heaped to one side. The spiral staircase leading to the top of the watchtower lay bare to the elements. Cannon shot and lightning scars pressed against the great doors leading to the Castle.

Blood stained the ramparts.

Running feet drummed the earth and turning slowly, Golbez smiled in spite of himself. In the distance, his nephew ran with carefree abandon, screaming gleefully in the wind and the man's smile inched wider. The past several months, his head, his mind became a plaything for the dragon Shinryu. He was trapped in a vice, a pawn without intention, sent to wreak havoc and destroy his home world. How could he?

Baron meant everything to him.

Patches of green grass pushed its way through the blackened field and Golbez forcibly ignored the flaw. A part of him knew it was a necessary sacrifice for the greater good. Cosmos? He sifted through blurred memories, through recollections of pain and strife and his hand automatically went to his chest where a new scar healed. Golbez remembered a white furred creature, a moogle, with eyes of burnished gold and he shivered

The Interdimensional war drew to an end.

With heavy feet, he trudged across burnt grass. The reek of ash and death tickled his nose. All of that washed away when Ceodore skidded to a halt in front of him; the child's serious and noble facade shattered as a boyish grin seized his face. Golbez braced himself as Ceodore tackled him, short arms squeezing his torso, the prince asked no questions, he simply hugged his uncle with all his might.

Meters away stood Kain, blinking disbelievingly. He ought to call the King but suspicions cropped the back of his mind. Where was Golbez? Why did he disappear so suddenly and reappear in a similarly abrupt manner? The dragoon's eyes swept across the healing land of Baron and his irises narrowed at the bleeding horizon, dusk set in, turning the sky scarlet. Was Golbez part of the war?

Did he instigate all of this?

"Father...the King is waiting to see you," Ceodore's solemn statement broke through Kain's musings and he tensed. "The King will have a lot of questions for you," the prince warned, casting a sidelong glance at Kain who nodded gravely. Ceodore clasped Golbez's hand in his own and lead his uncle to the palace which cast looming shadows in dying sunlight. Questions buzzed at the back of his brain and he kept his mouth shut. Uncle Golbez's hand was large and littered with ugly scars but to the prince, it represented comfort and safety. "I'm happy you are back," he blurted and ascended the steps leading to the castle foyer. "I missed you," he gave a fleeting smile to his weary uncle and paused at the throne room doors.

A question at the back of the prince's mind beat relentlessly. Letting go of his uncle's warm grasp, he waited for Kain to push the doors apart and as the ornate gates groaned open, Ceodore asked:

"So how is she...how is Lady Cosmos doing?"

* * *

Chaos slumbered in his domain, his wings and tail wrapped protectively around him. Lava oozed sluggishly around the cracks emptying into his pool and the demon slept, undisturbed by nothing. He occasionally snorted and a tendril of fire leapt from the pool and lapped at the barren surroundings. Regally poised at the edge of the pool with magma steaming her bare feet, Cosmos observed the sleeping entity, he showed no signs of waking and she waited for another minute, where Chaos breathed evenly and deeply, before spinning on her heel and wandering away.

The center of the new universe sprouted from Shinryu's head. It still lay there, bleeding ichor and swelling the world with life. Stagnant irises of burnished gold stared accusingly at her, Shinryu missed several razor sharp teeth and she sat on a stone bench wreathed with ivy.

Here, once upon a time, in a distant, different world, the dragon taught her everything. And here it all ended. Cierr Harmonia rested in the hands of Death but the weapon always came when Cosmos summoned for it.

Life surged plentiful, the backdoor to the Void remained open. The space always whispered of darkness, of temptations and the hisses disgusted Cosmos. When she entered the Void, the tree shed its leaves of light, carpeting the way for her. On the surfaces of the planets, she watched her Warriors throw themselves into work.

Y'shtola Rhul, her no longer blind Warrior, took center stage as she spearheaded the disintegration of the Garlean Empire and travelled to heal the planet.

Firion, a wanderer, often returned to the site where Pandemonium sunk. He planted rose bushes around the perimeter of raised earth and a thorn of barriers kept wild animals and the stray monster at bay.

Balamb Garden surged with new students; Cosmos followed Squall Leonhart as he sauntered through the corridors, indifference plastered on his face. Cameras swiveled to record his every move and he suddenly stopped and looked back, straight at the Goddess. She smiled at him, conveyed her gratitude through time and space and the scar slashing his face contorted.

He smiled.

Elsewhere, a young woman waited for her sister in Valhalla, cotton candy pink hair streamed softly in the wind. Behind her stood Snow, ever patient and waiting. Waiting. The woman, Serah, smiled sweetly and Cosmos retracted with breathless prayers gracing her ears.

Another voice joined them: Lightning.

Lunafreya and Noctis tied the knot, Cosmos' fingers lingered at the Oracle's cheek and she held the newlyweds' hands in her own. Overcome with emotion, Noctis, a man of over twenty, choked on his words whilst the Oracle beamed brightly. The Goddess did not waste her feelings on sadness for Lunafreya's part, instead, she kissed the bride and groom on their foreheads and wished them a long, long life.

Noctis tumbled over his words, cheeks reddened in embarrassment. Lunafreya laughed and blew her a kiss.

The goddess exited from the Void, the tree lost its brilliance. She walked, leaving a trail of pearls in her wake and knelt on the soil. It healed, slowly but surely. Trees conspired together to form a forest. The forest became the homes of animals and smaller plants. It birthed magic. Grass encroached on barren land, forcibly pushing the memory of war to the edge of the world.

Cornelia Plains, usually stretches of coarse grass, teemed with life.

Stone gates sprang up and in their hollow interiors, Cosmos breathed magic. A portal to different worlds. Some things shall never change, she mused as a drop of ichor swelled on her forefinger and she used them to ink runes inside the circles. This one, she paused, will lead to the magnificent city of Alexandria.

Cosmos studied the gate, watched how the runes dissolved to show throngs of people flocking a certain orange bannered theatre. She clapped along with the rest when Zidane bowed and smiled coyly. The actor glimpsed the goddess and gracefully launched off stage, holding bouquet of roses out to her. Gratitude shone in the depths of his irises and despite the audience members clamoring around him, Zidane crouched to the ground and bowed to Cosmos.

His heart skipped a beat and the goddess heard it. The desperate plea for companionship.

She gently touched his hair and vanished as he raised his head, a sad smile painted on his lips.

Sometime in the near future, the goddess knew as she worked to coax water to a spring, Chaos will wake, fully reformed and ready to start the war anew. She wondered who will be a mediator and straightened when a geyser of water soaked her from head to toe. Droplets of water sparkled like diamonds in the early morning sunlight. Perhaps they did not need a mediator? All good and bad will be judged between the entities of Chaos and Cosmos.

Yes, she decided. During this war she will have the opportunity to see her warriors again, or maybe, newer ones will take the place of old.

Hands cupped around a struggling flower, Cosmos tenderly scooped it back into the earth, her mind bubbling.

Bartz roamed the earth and when she briefly stopped to see how his world fared; the Goddess was a bit disappointed when the Warrior did absolutely nothing to contribute to the reconstruction of his world.

"There are others taking care of it." He grinned and patted the saddle behind him whilst Boko chirped in agreement. "Want to take a ride to the Forest?" he asked, "it's expanding again."

Shantotto continued with her illicit experiments and laughed in the face of punishment.

"Ohohoho!" The black mage simpered disturbingly and waved her gloved hand at Cosmos. "Punishment is never your forte," Cosmos closed her eyes in resignation, "beauty and grace, that is what you portray." Shantotto finished quietly and held the goddess' gaze warmly.

Whilst Narshe Outskirts will forever remain the frosty, desolate land of snow broken by clusters of pine trees, the Ruins transformed into a haven for the Espers. Alighted on the outskirts of the once wasteland, Cosmos observed the half-human, half-magical beings as they helped reconstruct their home. Alarmed by the growing community, the Empire sought to crush it, only to meet fierce opposition headed by a fuchsia beast. The Esper snarled in their faces, tore their helmets from their heads and her claws spoke for themselves.

Balanced precariously on the steeple of a newly built tower, Terra kept a hawk eyed watch for intruders. She lowered her head respectfully for Cosmos, but her eyes held a fierce pride.

Ark and Luneth jolted in surprise when she materialized from thin air.

"How did you get here?" the Onion Knight asked bluntly, brushing his shoulder length hair impatiently to the side. Behind them lay a camp for four people, the enclosure hummed with energy. A cheery fire crackled in the middle and two tents framed it on opposite sides.

The goddess smiled at the question. "I have fully regained my power," she replied enigmatically and Luneth frowned quizzically.

"She means she's omnipotent and omnipresent," Ark helpfully translated and the Onion Knight nodded slowly. "Can you visit us anytime you want?" Ark questioned, notes fisted in tight fingers. His wizard hat leaned sideways and Cosmos somberly shook her head.

She had pressing duties to attend to after all.

The Galbana joined the myriad of airships circling Rabanastre and Vaan, despite the godly presence amidst them, grumbled endlessly. He still wanted to be a pirate though Cosmos suspected he only paid lip service. There was no mistaking the way her Warrior carried himself, an envoy of the Queen; a Knight of Dalmasca. Vaan continued pilfering Captain Basch's pockets and presented the Goddess with a silver pocket watch.

Cosmos did not need to keep time. She represented time. But the ornament looked beautiful wreathed around her neck, clattering against the imperial golden necklace adorning her bosom. It showed her Rabanastre's time zone and she smiled when Vaan showed her the intervals when the Galbana took off for duty; and stopped patrolling for the day.

* * *

_Golbez's wounds knitted together. Skin grew on his upper arm, covering the knots of muscle. Hwit's dagger once stabbed the man in both the chest and arm and the scars will never smooth over. The man cautiously ventured out of the dense canopy of the forest and courageously sat on the stone bench, gaze fixed numbly at Shinryu. Cosmos delicately sat next to him and his shoulders drooped._

_"It is time for you to go home," The goddess softly stated and reached out, laying her fingers gently on his hand. Golbez tensed and briefly pressed his temples, shaking the remnants of the bronze dragon's control. Even in death, he exerted a great influence._

_He pulled his hand away. "I want to go home," he haltingly spoke, eyes taking on a faraway look. "I miss Cecil." The pain of separation and betrayal throbbed in his veins. "Ceodore..." he recalled the day the young prince came kicking into earth. Ceodore's loud screams filled the birthing chamber and Cecil retreated to a corner, shaking uncontrollably and turning to Kain for guidance. Golbez stared at his nephew._

_At the pure innocence whose screeches reverberated through stone corridors._

* * *

In the dream world of Zanarkand, approachable only when Cosmos slept, floated Tidus. His environment changed all the time, depending on his mood and circumstance, but his favorite scenery was of underwater, with a giant whale swimming placidly around him. He often thought about his life, of what he could be if he lived and grew up and Cosmos listened attentively, her hair streaming upwards in the water and providing a golden screen for copper colored fish to swim through. Tidus invited Cosmos to play Blitzball with him but the goddess refused.

Smashing Tidus in the face did not sound much fun.

Cloud Strife polished Fenrir zealously and Tifa watched in amusement. Outside the new Seventh Heaven, Vincent tapped his phone, blanching when he received a call from Yuffie, he quickly muffled the ringtone and stuck the device in his pocket. The gunslinger regarded his bronze claws.

Fenrir purred and dressed in his traditional black leather, Cloud swung a leg over the seat, delighted by the return of his bike. The mental and physical scars of facing Sephiroth a second time have yet to fade and in the meantime, he slunk forlornly from bike shop to bike shop, scrutinizing and internally criticizing every motorcycle he came across. He eventually gave up, pondering on a life lived without Fenrir and as he consoled himself, Cosmos popped out in a flash of light.

The blonde man invited her to the bar, Tifa will be really happy to see her and so will the children, however, Cosmos smiled mysteriously and pointed to the street and to Cloud's disbelief, there stood Fenrir, polished, smelling of motor oil and powered by a silver of the goddess' power.

He cracked a smile. It did not come often. Yet, the sheer happiness in his heart manifested itself on his face.

* * *

The King of Baron looked up when the doors to his throne room ground open. The noise filled the hall. Kain entered, his helmet pushed up his forehead and sensing something grave, Cecil stood, the beads in his hair clinking. Two individuals strode in after Kain and the King's knees grew weak at the sight of his brother.

"Brother Golbez," his voice shook and he descended the short flight of stairs and opened his arms for an embrace. The young prince excitedly circled around his father and uncle, eyes shining. Respectfully, Kain paced at a distance. "I am happy to see your return home," Cecil related earnestly and while he had a myriad of questions to ask of his brother, he swept them aside and invited Golbez further in the castle.

In the corner, Cosmos closed her eyes, savoring the moment of sibling bliss.

_"I thank you for everything," Golbez bowed, he wore a cloak of purple, hiding the scars on his body. His hair, previously a ragged mess, flowed silkily. "You have brought peace to this world against overwhelming odds," he pointed to the bronze dragon, "and for granting me the opportunity to join my family again, I thank you."_

_Cosmos listened, tears sprung to her eyes as Golbez bowed humbly. He echoed the sentiments off her Warriors and her ears sung with countless prayers. She closed her eyes and listened to the orchestra of gratitude spilling from all dimensions of the universe. Golbez straightened, politely bid her farewell and stepped through the portal._

_Back to the Kingdom of Baron._

_Back to his, brother and nephew._

* * *

The Astrals rose from their magic circles and gazed at the world anew. It partly resembled the world of old, barren stretches off grass and pools, streams of water leading to a volcanic land. Here and there, forests towered, oak and elm blotted the sky.

Titan plunged his hand underground and veins of precious metals spread from his fingertips and enriched the soil and water. Bahamut unfolded his wings, casting light to distant stars and Leviathan stamped her feet, bursting the river and stream banks.

With Cierr Harmonia humming pleasantly by her side, Cosmos acknowledged the Astrals as they blessed her land anew.

Ifrit took off to the volcanoes and she smiled at Shiva and Garuda working together to freeze the tops of mountains. Her bright blue eyes pulled to the small sanctuary she constructed in Cornelia Plains, a simple, white limestone domicile sitting near a lake. Sensing her sadness, Shiva twirled towards her and pressed Cosmos into an icy cold embrace.

"This is all yours," the ice goddess murmured. "It is your duty to keep an era of harmony."

Harmony...

"No," Cosmos shook her head and disentangled herself Shiva's grasp. "My duty is to govern the world impartially." Hwit's words echoed in her head. "I must watch and wait and be patient. I must provide the mortals with everything and observe as they shape the course of history. They are the stars and I am simply a stargazer." She smiled sadly, the future was not inscribed in stone, however, Cosmos knew the future of mortals. They were capable of both great good and evil. "I accept_ this_ responsibility fully." The goddess drew herself up. "I shall bear a silent witness to their struggles and deal my hand in subtle ways. Fate is theirs to make."

Shiva stared at her friend, at the weight of responsibility and determination weighing on Cosmos' shoulders. The goddess wore her duty like jewels and Shiva had to tear her eyes away from such brilliance.

Cosmos spun on her heel and walked the earth; her bare feet skimmed over the lake's glittering surface and carried her to the sanctuary. Inside a spartan room furnished only by a full-body looking glass, a set of gold trimmed armor and an ornate throne, sat a motionless man.

A manikin.

Her Warrior of Light.

* * *

**A/N:** WoL just doesn't die does he?

This is the end, the epilogue. The story was sometimes hair-raisingly difficult to write and other times, I found it pretty fun. Thanks to all the readers who took the time to read, I hope you all enjoyed the story

At Nonny: Yeah, this is the end. I have to thank you for the constant support and reviews, it's fun discussing things with you. Shinryu is a cliché enemy, he's basically power hungry and if a bit lonely. Hwit separated from him due to lack of faith in himself, as you mentioned and yes, Cosmos is infuriated at Shinryu and to a lesser extent, Hwit, for becoming wayward. Chaos did reincarnate, he's currently in a blissful snooze. As for WoL…not having him in the thick of things just felt wrong. As you can see, he's still hanging around.


End file.
